Anifah’s sons threaten to sue Lasimbang for defamation
The Sabah assistant minister has alleged that the brothers were behind the move to woo politicians to jump ship.
KOTA KINABALU: The sons of former foreign minister Anifah Aman are threatening to sue a Sabah assistant minister and a news portal here for claiming they were involved in efforts to woo state assemblymen to quit the ruling coalition.
The brothers, Ahmad Firdauss, Ahmad Zachry and Mohammad Azzidyn, have instructed their lawyers Messrs Ansari & Co to send legal notices to DAP’s Jannie Lasimbang and the Borneo Today news portal.
The legal notice demands that they retract their allegations and publish an apology to the Aman brothers.
The news portal had yesterday published a report in its Malay section quoting Lasimbang as saying she was approached at her home by political agents who claimed they represented Anifah’s sons.
Lasimbang claimed the agent had tried to convince her to leave DAP and join the opposition.
Lawyers for Anifah’s sons said in a statement issued today that the brothers denied “involvement in any manner”.
“Our clients deny that they were involved in any manner whatsoever in attempting to induce assemblymen or any other member of the state legislative assembly to switch political parties.
“Nor did they appoint any agents to make an offer to the said assemblyman or any other member of the state legislative assembly to switch political parties.
“We have earlier today sent a legal notice to both retract and withdraw the statements implicating our clients and to publish a suitable apology upon terms and conditions to be approved by our clients.
“If we do not receive a favourable reply within two working days, we have strict instructions to file an injunction and action for defamation.”
Lasimbang, who is the Sabah assistant law and native affairs minister, confirmed receiving the notice from the firm this afternoon.
“I am seeking legal advice from party lawyers for now before making any statement,” she said, when contacted by FMT.
Lasimbang was among several Sabah DAP leaders at yesterday’s press conference who claimed they were approached by political agents with offers of money and positions if they quit their parties and supported the opposition.
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She and another DAP assemblyman, Calvin Chong Ket Kiun (Elopura), had lodged police reports over their claims.