KUALA LUMPUR (May 5): Former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad is suing Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim over alleged defamatory comments the PM made in a speech during PKR's congress on March 18.

In the writ of summons filed at the Shah Alam High Court on May 3, sighted by The Edge, Mahathir is claiming general damages of RM50 million and exemplary damages of RM100 million. 

He is also seeking a public apology from Anwar over the comments made. 

Mahathir also wants Anwar to extend an unconditional apology and undertake not to repeat the same or similar statements in the future.

Additionally, Mahathir claimed that the statements Anwar made against him were for the purpose of creating various bad perceptions against him.

Mahathir also claimed that the statements made tarnished his image as a statesman and a former prime minister who has a reputation as a politician and a leader, and respected throughout Malaysia and the world. 

Mahathir’s lawyer Rafique Rashid Ali has also filed a certificate of urgency to the Shah Alam High Court. 

One of the reasons stated for the urgency in the suit is because of the state elections which are taking place soon, and this will affect the public's perception of Mahathir’s image to be against him. 

“This is important to the plaintiff (Mahathir), as it involves matters of integrity, trust and public confidence in Mahathir,” the lawyer stated in the certificate. 

The suit is now set for a case review and management on May 31 before the court. 

On April 17, Anwar, through his lawyers Messrs Thomas Philips, told Mahathir in a letter that Anwar has denied all allegations that Mahathir made against him in a letter of demand (LOD) dated March 27, and that Anwar is ready to answer Mahathir’s allegations in court. 

"Our client is prepared to answer the allegations made in the letter of demand, if any, not through correspondence but in court, if Dr Mahathir wants to continue with the legal proceedings.

"This firm is also instructed to receive any cause papers on the matter," Messrs Thomas Philip said in response to the LOD that was issued by Mahathir's lawyers, Messrs Law Practice of Rafique.

In his initial LOD, Mahathir gave Anwar seven days to either provide proof to back his statement, which Mahathir believed was accusing him of enriching himself and his family when he was in government, or to withdraw his statement and apologise.

Anwar made the disputed remark at the PKR congress in March, where he said someone who was in power for “22 years and 22 months” hoarded riches for his or her family and children.

While he did not name anyone in the speech, Mahathir's lawyers, in the LOD, said Anwar's statement had clearly referred to the 97-year-old Mahathir.

According to the LOD, Anwar’s statements accused the former PM of only being concerned about the rakyat after he lost power, that Mahathir once took control of the country’s assets to enrich himself and his family members, and that he would influence high-level, influential and rich individuals to see to the fall of the present government.

It also claimed that the words uttered by Anwar meant that Mahathir is allegedly gathering such individuals now, so that Malays hate the non-Malays; that Mahathir had failed as the fourth and seventh PM, that Mahathir promoted racism, that he acted in bad faith during his administration, and that he promoted religious bigotry.

Mahathir also complained that the words uttered by Anwar meant that the former PM had abused his power in using the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission as a tool, avoided paying or declaring true income tax, and stashed huge amounts of money overseas.

Mahathir, 97, served as Malaysia’s prime minister twice. First as the fourth PM for 22 years from July 1981 to October 2003, and later as the seventh PM from May 2018 to March 2020.

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