KUALA LUMPUR, March 22 ― Senator Datuk Seri S. Nallakaruppan today denied claiming that PKR de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim had received RM60 million from a gambling corporation, blaming it on a “media twist” instead.
Nallakaruppan told the Kuala Lumpur High Court that newspaper Sinar Harian “twisted” his comments regarding allegations that Anwar received RM60 million from Magnum Corporation while the latter had been deputy prime minister and that the money was handed by Nallakaruppan personally.
He said this during cross examination by Anwar, who made his first appearance as his own counsel in his RM60 million defamation suit against Nallakaruppan and the newspaper over the 2008 article.
“The report had twisted my words. I did not say that,” Nallakaruppan said when asked by Anwar to confirm the contents of the article during trial today.
The resumption of the civil suit trial today also saw several personal jibes exchanged between Anwar and Nallakaruppan, who were former tennis partners and friends prior to Nallakarupan leaving PKR in 2007.
At one point, Nallakaruppan implied that Anwar did not acknowledge the former's experience while detained under the Internal Security Act 1960 in 1998 during the Reformasi movement.
“So, the police treated you cruelly?” Anwar asked.
“Now you know,” Nallakaruppan replied.
“I know that very well, I went through the same process,” Anwar said.
The trial will resume this evening as Anwar requested for time to consider Nallakaruppan's new position regarding the allegations.
