KUALA LUMPUR (April 5): A spat between former deputy prime minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and former prime minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin over claims the former had sought help from the latter when he was premier to intervene in criminal proceedings against him will now continue in court.

Ahmad Zahid, who is also UMNO president, on Monday (April 4) filed a defamation suit against Muhyiddin, who is president of Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia.

The suit filed by Messrs Shahrul Hamidi & Haziq was sighted by theedgemarkets.com in a file search.

Muhyiddin made the allegations during the Johor election campaign in Mersing last Feb 16.

The UMNO president is, among others, seeking a permanent injunction to stop Muhyiddin from repeating the defamatory words, and aggravated, general and exemplary damages deemed fit by the court.

Messrs Shahrul Hamidi & Haziq also filed a certificate of urgency to seek an ex parte injunction against Muhyiddin.

The hearing is fixed for Wednesday before Justice Datuk Rozana Ali Yusoff.

Ahmad Zahid in his ex parte application is seeking an interim injunction to prevent Muhyiddin or his agents from repeating the purported defamatory words, cause to publish or publish the purported defamatory words on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Whatsapp, Telegram and Tiktok.

He is also seeking the removal of the video recordings in which Muhyiddin is alleged to have uttered the defamatory words on several news portals including on Perikatan Nasional's (PN) Facebook page dated Feb 16 this year.

Ahmad Zahid in his statement of claim (SOC) alleged prior to the filing of the suit on Monda that his lawyers had sent a notice of demand dated Feb 23, 2022 requiring Muhyiddin to cease and desist from repeating and continuing in making the defamatory words, pay RM10 million in damages and make a public apology.

He strongly denied having met Muhyiddin in bringing his purported criminal files to seek the then prime minister's help to solve his ongoing criminal cases.

Ahmad Zahid said the defamatory words uttered by Muhyiddin meant he was not qualified to be UMNO president and Barisan Nasional (BN) chairman.

He claimed that the words meant that he was utilising shortcuts to resolve his criminal cases due to his own personal interests. Moreover, he claimed the words meant that he as a member of parliament (MP) and the most senior UMNO leader could not be trusted in his actions or decisions.

It also meant that he was willing to violate the law for his own personal interests.

"It also meant that he was the instigator causing the statewide Johor election and that he does not respect the Johor royal institution and that he had acted in his own interests and had put aside the interest of UMNO's constitution," the SOC added.

Ahmad Zahid alleged the defamatory statement had resulted in his reputation as UMNO president, BN chairman and Bagan Datoh MP being tarnished, resulting in his credibility being questioned.

He further alleged there was malice in Muhyiddin coming out with the statement as PN was one of the coalitions contesting in the Johor election.

The effect of those words being uttered, Ahmad Zahid said, had caused him to be badly criticised by society, which in turn might have caused the people to lose trust and confidence in him.

Ahmad Zahid is currently on trial for graft charges. On Jan 24 this year, the High Court ordered Ahmad Zahid to enter his defence against 47 charges of breach of trust, corruption and money laundering involving Akalbudi Foundation funds after finding that the prosecution had succeeded in proving a prima facie case against him. The trial will proceed on April 26.

The UMNO president also faces 40 charges of graft for allegedly receiving funds from Ultra Kirana Sdn Bhd, the company awarded a contract extension for a Malaysia foreign visa system, electronic visa and one-stop centre (OSC) services in China.

Of the 40 charges, 33 involve charges of receiving bribes amounting to about S$13.56 million from Ultra Kirana for, among others, a contract extension involving Ultra Kirana's foreign visa system and OSC services in China.

As for the remaining seven charges, according to news reports, Ahmad Zahid in his capacity as then home minister is alleged to have obtained for himself bribes denominated in different currencies comprising S$1.15 million, RM3 million, €15,000 and US$15,000 from Ultra Kirana.