KUALA LANGAT, May 5 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim today said that he will leave it to his lawyers to handle the lawsuit against him filed by Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.
It was reported earlier today that the Gerakan Tanah Air (GTA) chairman had filed a RM150 million lawsuit against Anwar for accusing him of amassing public wealth while in power.
“I have lawyers, let my lawyers handle everything,” he briefly told the media after having lunch with the locals at Kuala Langat City Council Food Court here.
Also present were former Kapar MP Datuk Abdullah Sani and Sungai Kandis Assemblyman Mohd Zawawi Mughni who escorted Anwar to his table.
Dr Mahathir filed a defamation lawsuit against Anwar, and is seeking compensation totalling RM150 million as well as an apology and retraction of the alleged defamatory remarks.
In the lawsuit filed in the High Court in Shah Alam on May 3, Dr Mahathir referred to alleged defamatory remarks by Anwar on March 18 at a special national congress.
Dr Mahathir cited Anwar’s speech at the event titled “Kongres Nasional Khas Malaysia Madani: ‘Perlaksanaan Sebuah Idealisme” at Stadium Melawati, Shah Alam, which he said was streamed live on Anwar’s own Facebook page and PKR’s YouTube channel.
Before filing the lawsuit, Dr Mahathir had sent a letter of demand dated March 27 to Anwar to seek for apology and retraction of the alleged defamatory remarks.
Anwar’s lawyers on April 17 had replied by saying that their client was ready to answer Dr Mahathir’s allegations in court.