KUALA LUMPUR (Dec 13): Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim had on Tuesday (Dec 13) filed a defamation suit against Kedah Menteri Besar (MB) Datuk Seri Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor for a speech the MB made while campaigning in Tambun, Perak on Nov 13.

The prime minister, who filed the suit in his individual capacity, claimed Sanusi’s speech was eventually uploaded on then-incumbent Tambun member of Parliament Datuk Seri Ahmad Faizal Azumu’s Facebook page and also a news portal.

The suit was filed by Messrs SN Nair and Partners at the Alor Setar High Court.

In the statement of claim, Anwar alleged that the statement made by Sanusi referred to Anwar’s two sodomy convictions, and the politician had claimed that Anwar's party had abused his position in obtaining a Royal Pardon, that he is a liar, deceiver and untrustworthy person, had betrayed the people's trust and is an unprincipled person.

Anwar further complained that the speech also meant to say that he is a corrupt person, a hypocrite, a manipulator, a criminal who has committed criminal offences and the same remains on record despite a full pardon granted by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, that he had obtained the pardon through subterfuge and remains unpardoned and had deceived the Agong and that he is not a good Muslim.

Anwar claimed that the impugned words are slanderous, libellous and defamatory when read together or independently.

Anwar, the recently elected Tambun MP, said Sanusi was grossly negligent, reckless and malicious, and said those words with a calculated intent to lower Anwar’s self-esteem in the eyes of the general public locally and internationally, and had exposed him to public hatred, reproach, disgrace, humiliation and ridicule.

He further alleged that Sanusi’s actions are driven by bad motives and malicious intentions to suggest that Anwar lacks moral turpitude, and claimed legal misconduct on his part. This is to obtain cheap publicity and sensation for the coalition’s political gain.

Sanusi’s actions, Anwar claimed, had wilfully and maliciously insulted the powers and authority of the Agong and the Rulers following the decision to pardon him and in disputing the royal pardon is indefensible in law.

Anwar further claimed that Sanusi’s actions of not wanting to retract and apologise when a letter of demand was issued on Nov 16, and a reply from Sanusi’s solicitors refusing to retract had resulted in the suit being filed.

This is despite Anwar’s emphatic denial culminating in the prolonging and continuation of this defamation action.

Following this, Anwar is seeking an injunction to restrain Sanusi from further uttering, writing or publishing or distributing the slanderous words, along with general, compensatory, aggravated and exemplary damages and costs of the action.