Dr M arrives at Shah Alam court for defamation proceedings against Anwar

New Straits Times

6 hours ago

SHAH ALAM: The arrival of Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad was no quiet affair at the Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah Court Complex as he attended proceedings linked to his RM150 million suit against prime minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
The 100-year-old two-time former prime minister's presence set the lobby abuzz as he made his way to the upper floor of the complex.
A crowd had been building up at the complex entrance since 8am in anticipation of Dr Mahathir's arrival.
The main entrance was closed to the public, with access restricted to those who had court matters.
Dr Mahathir will be attending case management proceedings at the civil High Court before judicial commissioner Datuk Donald Joseph Franklin.
The trial is expected to begin tomorrow.
The case was reassigned to Donald following the transfer of judicial commissioner Zaharah Hussain.
In his suit, Dr Mahathir alleged that Anwar tarnished his reputation by accusing him of being racist and of enriching himself and his family members during his 22-year tenure as prime minister.
He claimed that Anwar made the remarks during PKR's special national congress at the Melawati Stadium in Shah Alam on March 18, 2023.
Anwar had allegedly referred to someone "who in the past had been in power for 22 years and an additional 22 months" as taking advantage of his position to enrich himself and his family.
Anwar, who did not specify any name during the speech, also said this person later complained about the Malays losing everything after he was no longer in power.
Dr Mahathir said he had never been accused or convicted of any wrongdoing involving abuse of power or misuse of funds, either during or after his time as prime minister.
He argued that Anwar's remarks were unfounded and based only on media hearsay.
Dr Mahathir said it was vital that Anwar, as prime minister, ensure his statements were grounded in fact and not rumours.
He said that all his income had been audited to ensure there was no deceit in tax payments or in the source of his earnings.
He is seeking RM100 million in exemplary damages and RM50 million in general damages, as well as a written apology and a special press conference for Anwar to publicly retract his remarks.