KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has filed a defamation suit against an opposition MP over remarks insinuating that he was “not properly appointed” to office following the general election last November.
In the suit filed by law firm SN Nair & Partners at the High Court here today, Anwar also claimed Awang Hashim had made libellous remarks that opposition MPs were being subjected to selective prosecution.
The Pendang MP is also said to have alleged that the prime minister had interfered in the work of law enforcement agencies and the prosecutorial arm of the Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC).
According to the statement of claim, Awang made the defamatory remarks at a press conference outside the Dewan Rakyat on Feb 21.
Awang’s remarks were said to have been published by Malaysiakini after corruption charges were brought against Tasek Gelugor MP Wan Saiful Wan Jan.
The remarks were also published in a TikTok video the next day.
Anwar is seeking an injunction to restrain Awang and his agents from uttering, writing or publishing the same or similar words defamatory of him.
He is also seeking general, compensatory, aggravated and exemplary damages and other relief deemed fit by the court.
In his statement of claim, Anwar alleged the impugned words were uttered and published in bad faith and were completely baseless and untrue.
“They are also specious, laced with subterfuge, and question the wisdom and legality and constitutional powers of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong,” the filing said.
The Tambun MP says he was “formally and officially invited by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong and appointed and sworn in as the prime minister of Malaysia in an official ceremony” after the King “concluded in his sagacious judgment” that he was “likely to command the confidence of the majority of the members of the lower house”.
Anwar, who is PKR president and Pakatan Harapan chairman, said Awang’s statements implied that he is not the legitimately, lawfully and constitutionally appointed prime minister.
He said the statements painted a negative picture that he did not command the confidence of the majority to be appointed as prime minister.
Anwar also claimed that Awang’s remarks had given rise to a perception that he had abused his power by arbitrarily instructing the law enforcement and prosecution agencies to take action for his personal political agenda.