KUALA LUMPUR (Dec 22): Tambun Member of Parliament and Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has amended his statement of claim (SOC) in his suit against Kedah Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor by saying that prior to his sacking from the government to date, he had faced various criminal charges.
Anwar had all the while maintained his innocence, and that the actions against him were a premeditated political conspiracy.
In the amended SOC against Sanusi, Anwar admitted that he was the deputy prime minister and finance minister prior to Sept 2, 1998, who had an unblemished record in holding the second highest public office and recognised as among the top four finance ministers by Euromoney, and was later named the best finance minister of the year 1996 by Asiamoney.
Anwar further stated that he was unceremoniously removed from office by the powers that be in September 1998 with specious motives, calculated to cause irreparable damage to his reputation and image.
“I was charged and prosecuted with several sham criminal offences, and was put on public trial on several occasions, and found guilty on all the offences charged, and sentenced to two bouts of imprisonment,” he added.
Prior to his sacking and until now, he had vigorously and unswervingly maintained innocence at all material times that all the criminal charges against him were a premeditated political conspiracy, and directed to remove him from holding public office, and to ruin his political career permanently.
“It is precisely for these reasons that the Yang di-Pertuan Agong deemed and saw fit to pardon Anwar on May 16, 2018, so as to restore his image and reputation. The primary purpose and effect of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong’s decree to order the royal pardon was for the full and final extinguishment of all or any infamy against him in respect of all three criminal offences convicted,” according to the amended SOC.
“Despite being in full knowledge of the same, Sanusi had recklessly, having no regard for the impact and effect of the royal pardon by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, inflicted, repeated and rekindled this ghastly taint and pain of defamation on Anwar, and therefore, he is entitled to pursue this action, and to prevent future repetition of the same by other unscrupulous persons,” according to the amended SOC.
Anwar noted that despite his protestation of innocence, some like Sanusi had continued to take potshots at him, leaving him with no other choice, but to seek justice from the court of law to preserve his good image and reputation.
Anwar on Dec 13 filed a defamation suit against Sanusi in the Alor Setar High Court, following Sanusi’s campaign speech in Tambun during last month’s general election, in reference to Anwar’s conviction.
Hence, Anwar through his solicitors from Messrs SN Nair & Partners are seeking an injunction to restrain Sanusi from further uttering, writing, publishing or distributing the slanderous words, along with general, compensatory, aggravated and exemplary damages, and costs of the action.