KUALA LUMPUR (Dec 6): Pakatan Harapan coalition chairman Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has filed a defamation suit against Perak PAS chief and Gunung Semangol assemblyman Razman Zakaria for making claims that he will push the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) agenda and also support Communism through his association with the Democratic Action Party (DAP).

Now the prime minister, Anwar, 75, filed the suit in his individual capacity in the Taiping High Court through Messrs SN Bair.

In his statement of claim, Anwar, who is also the PKR president, claimed the words uttered by Razman in his election speech on Nov 6, which was carried by several publications, in its natural and ordinary meaning meant that Anwar is dishonest, unethical, a hypocrite, not a good Muslim, practises and supports same-sex marriage and the Communist ideology.

Besides the speech being carried by several publications, the posting was also uploaded on Razman’s Facebook page and garnered more than 94,000 views, and close to 500 shares.

The recently elected Tambun Member of Parliament further alleged that the posting was malicious, untruthful, seriously prejudicial, and aimed at tarnishing his reputation.

He further claimed that he has always denounced the LGBT agenda, and has been fighting for the larger reform agenda in the governance of the country.

Anwar claimed that he has a reputable image on the world stage and also in Malaysia, and is an ardent advocate of Islamic teachings and its core values.

Hence, he said Razman’s claims were baseless and contained falsehoods that incorrectly portrayed him as a person supporting the LGBT agenda and same-sex marriage, and that he through his association with DAP supported Communism.

Anwar further claimed that Razman had violated Section 4A of the Election Offences Act 1954 for promoting ill will and hostility during the election campaign.

He alleged that Razman had not clarified the matter with him before making such allegations, and further claimed that the PAS Perak chief was clearly motivated by bad motives, malicious intention and suggested that the PKR president lacked moral turpitude, and was premeditated to taint, harm and seriously injure Anwar’s reputation as a devout Muslim.

Anwar also pointed to Razman’s hesitancy to apologise despite a letter of demand being issued to him by Anwar's lawyers. This had caused the politician severe mental distress, anxiety, and shame, Anwar claimed.

As a result, the PKR president is seeking general, exemplary, aggravated and compensatory damages, along with an injunction barring Razman from further uttering, publishing, or distributing similar defamatory statements against him.