KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 28 — Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim withdrew today his RM100 million defamation suit against Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar after the former home minister formally apologised for allegedly calling the opposition leader a “Washington agent”.

The PKR adviser told reporters he accepted the apology and Syed Hamid’s explanation that the remark was misreported.

“Syed Hamid said that the news report was inaccurate and it was not what he had intended to say,” Anwar said.

“He apologised and said he did not mean it that way and so this is settled,” he said.

The defamation case was resolved with no cost after Syed Hamid read out his statement of apology before High Court judge, Datuk Nik Hasmat Nik Mohamed, in chambers today.

Syed Hamid, who now chairs the Land Public Transport Commission, was alleged to have made the remark against Anwar at a news conference in the Parliament lobby on July 2, 2008.

Anwar sued the then home minister for defamation on August 29, 2008.

In his statement of claim, Anwar said the article published in an English-language daily on July 3, 2008, implied that he was a traitor to Malaysia, disloyal to his religion and race and an untrustworthy person.