KUALA LUMPUR (April 4): Pendang Member of Parliament (MP) Datuk Awang Solahuddin Hashim alleged that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has ceased to criticise the Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) project and Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi after he became Anwar’s deputy. 

The Pendang MP said this in his statement of defence in a defamation suit brought against him by Anwar. 

“For the record, Zahid is the deputy prime minister of the country, appointed by Anwar after Pakatan Harapan and Barisan Nasional had formed government, although the plaintiff (Anwar) had previously called BN thieves,” he said. 

“Ever since he became Malaysia’s tenth PM, there were no statements made by him against Barisan Nasional, especially Zahid (which is his current deputy),” he said. 

He noted that no authority has investigated or prosecuted any individual in connection to the LCS issue since Nov 24, 2022. Anwar was sworn in as the tenth prime minister of Malaysia that day.

Awang, who is a PAS lawmaker, also alleged that Anwar contradicted a statement he made — that he would not practice politics of revenge and vengeance when he became prime minister — by charging former prime minister and Bersatu chairman Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin and former Bersatu information chief Datuk Wan Saiful Wan Jan in connection with the Jana Wibawa programme. 

On March 3, Anwar had sued Awang seeking an unconditional apology over the libellous statement he made against the prime minister at the Parliament lobby on Feb 21. 

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 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, and 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 that his "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.

In his statement of defence, Awang said that his comments were fair and backed by facts, citing the defence of fair comment and justification. 

Anwar is represented by lawyer Sankara Nair while the law firm Amalin & Faizi is acting for Awang.

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.