KUALA LUMPUR (March 3): Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim is suing Pendang Member of Parliament (MP) Datuk Awang Solahuddin Hashim, seeking an unconditional apology over the libellous statement he made against the prime minister at the Parliament lobby on Feb 21. 

Anwar, 75, who is also the Pakatan Harapan chairman, filed the statement of claim through Messrs SN Nair & Partners to proceed with the legal action. 

This comes after Anwar, through his lawyer Datuk SN Nair, had sent two letters of demand to Awang Solahuddin, demanding a public apology for the latter’s comments about Anwar. 

Awang Solahuddin allegedly made a statement to reporters outside the Dewan Rakyat about the PM on that day, that was then published on TikTok under the account “@asriasri64chanel” the following day, garnering over 20,600 views, 322 comments, 159 likes and 47 shares by the time the letter was issued and could still be accessed.

The statement of claim sighted by The Edge says that the libellous remarks were also published in a Malaysiakini article titled “MP PAS: Sikap pendendam Anwar lebih teruk daripada Mahathir” at 2.29pm on Feb 21. 

“In uttering The Impugned Slanderous Words and/or The Impugned Libellous Words, Awang Solahuddin has patently, wilfully and maliciously and in defiance, challenged the powers of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong as enshrined in Article 43(2)(a) of the Federal Constitution to appoint the plaintiff as the prime minister of Malaysia,” it read. 

Anwar’s lawyer said that the comments were made with malicious intent and in bad faith.

The lawyer also said that the comments were burdensome, not of fact, unreasonable, confusing and were meant to disparage Anwar in the eyes of the public.

Awang said that Anwar was the worst prime minister in Malaysia, and also said that Anwar’s “…vindictiveness is very strong and vengeful”.

Anwar also vehemently denied interfering in court cases and in the role of the attorney-general, who has the discretion to prosecute a case or not.

For the suit, Anwar is seeking general damages; compensatory damages; aggravated damages; and exemplary damages.

Anwar’s lawyers are also seeking an injunction to restrain Awang Solahuddin from further uttering, writing or publishing, or distributing The Impugned Libellous Words or words to the effect or similar against or in relation to the plaintiff, which are or may be considered defamatory of the plaintiff. 

Anwar is also seeking costs.