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Focus Malaysia
4 days ago
- Politics
- Focus Malaysia
Is Waytha Moorthy's civil suit to disqualify PMX's premiership a sheer publicity stunt?
WHEN starved of the oxygen of publicity, one tactic is to create some legal drama to capture the public's attention. The higher the defendant's profile, the better. Could this be the thinking behind the Hindu Rights Action Force (HINDRAF)/Malaysian Advancement Party founder P. Waytha Moorthy's civil suit that seeks to disqualify the premiership of Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim? This is on grounds that the royal pardon granted to the PKR president in 2018 did not state that he was exempt from the five-year disqualification period for contesting an election after being released from prison. For context, the former minister in Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad's cabinet from 2018 to 2020 has wanted the High Court to declare PMX's election as Tambun MP on Nov 19, 2022 and his appointment as Prime Minister five days later null and void. On X, governance advocate ksampoh@MyOwn Inc (@Ksampoh) gave a detailed explanation as to why Waytha's suit was doomed to fail, citing similar suits against disgraced former premiers Datuk Seri Najib Razak and Tun Dr Mahathir which were previously thrown out by the court. Claiming that it was all just 'political theatre', the self-described true patriot confidently predicts that the suit will not succeed as 'the Federal Constitution, statutory time limits and past court decisions all make it clear that your case won't survive the first procedural hurdle'. Dear Waytha Moorthy, This lawsuit to 'disqualify' Anwar as Tambun Wakil Rakyat & Prime Minister is legally dead on arrival -& I say that based on the Constitution, the law, & precedent, not politics. 1- The Constitution doesn't back it Articles 48 & 50 of the Federal… — ksampoh@MyOwn Inc (@ksampoh) August 12, 2025 Commenters on the post were no less scathing with a few seeing right though the charade. One contended that the rakyat are tired of all the smokescreen acts 'by the same line-up of lawyers' that are mere diversionary tactics. It was a calculated move to ride on the momentum of the Turun Anwar rally, claimed one commenter. Knowing full well that the suit is not valid, it was argued that the former unity minister during Dr Mahathir's second premiership stint was merely trying 'to score some points in the court of public opinion'. As a person with a legal background, one commentator accused Waytha of manipulating the judicial system to spin conspiracy theories by claiming that the 'Madani (administration) controls the judiciary'. He would not be surprised if many citizens would believe Waytha. A few condemned this being a waste of court time and resources. One commenter suggested that the suit be dismissed and the 59-year-old politician be left to shoulder all the cost of this frivolous action. It was also claimed this was a part of a concerted attack on PMX by opposition groups to weaken his grip on power. One commenter highlighted that this suit was only filed AFTER the lawyer had met with Bersatu representatives, an insinuation that this was calculated political manoeuvring. More pertinently, the timing of the suit was questioned. Why not when PMX won in the Port Dickson by-election in 2018? Such gaps in reasoning caused one commenter to denounce 'this HINDRAF man is just good for nothing'. Such spurious and superfluous suits to create mere political theatre are an abuse of the legal process. As pointed out by one commenter, Malaysians are 'tired' of the constant wayang kulit (theatrics) in the jostle for power and influence. One commenter simply urged such individuals to stop wasting the rakyat's time. – Aug 15, 2025
Focus Malaysia
5 days ago
- Politics
- Focus Malaysia
'Not easy for even TunM to sue PMX as he has great persuasive power to delay trial'
SUCH seems to be the contention of blogger and veteran journalist Datuk A. Kadir Jasin after former unity minister and lawyer Waytha Moorthy Ponnusamy filed an originating summons seeking a declaration that Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim should not have been elected as a MP nor be appointed as Prime Minister (PM). Filed on Tuesday (Aug 12) which was two days after his 78th birthday on Aug 10, this would have constituted the third high-profile civil suit filed against PMX. The two existing cases are a defamation suit by Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad demanding an apology and damages of RM150 mil and that by PMX's former research assistant Mohammed Yusoff Rawther alleging sexual assault. 'With another civil suit against him (PMX), it is no wonder that he and his supporters are feeling desperate. Who knows if more civil suits will be filed,' penned Kadir in his latest Facebook post. 'However, under the Westminster system which is the model of our government, the PM possesses great power to persuade. He can use many methods to delay the trial.' No express trail for TunM's suit For the record, Waytha who is also the Hindu Rights Action Force (HINDRAF)/Malaysian Advancement Party (MAP) founder wants the High Court to declare that PMX's election as the Tambun MP on Nov 19, 2022 and his subsequent appointment as PM on Nov 24 that year are null and void. This is on the grounds that the pardon by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong in 2018 did not state that PMX was exempted from losing the right to contest for a five-year period from the date of his release from prison. As it is, the Article 48(1)(e) in the Federal Constitution prohibits a criminal sentenced to more than one year in prison and a fine of more than RM2,000 from contesting elections for five years after his release. Recall that PMX was sentenced to five years in prison by the Federal Court in 2015 in his second sodomy case. In addition to PMX's influence, Kadir contended that judicial bureaucracy also stood in the way as has happened the trial of Dr Mahathir's suit. 'It was submitted on May 5, 2023. It has been more than two years. The judge has changed twice. Now a third one will be appointed,' recounted the national journalism laureate. 'In the Yusoff Rawther case, the trial was delayed because last May Anwar asked the High Court to allow him to refer eight questions to the Federal Court pertaining to his 'immunity' as PM. 'We've to understand that even by changing lawyers, the trial can be delayed. That is what Anwar did on May 28. He changed the line of lawyers representing him in the Yusoff Rawther suit.' 'Playing the delay game' Given the afore-mentioned circumstances, Kadir is of the view that both PMX's backers who are hoping for an immediate clean-up of their idol's name as well as opposition supporters who want him to be removed as soon as possible are bound to be disappointed. 'These cases cannot be completed in a month or two. It can even drag on for years. There're civil cases that have been going on for more than a decade but have not been resolved,' asserted the former group editor-in-chief of mainstream New Straits Times. 'So there is no big problem for Anwar's lawyers to delay the trial of these civil cases until the next general election which must be held no later than February 17, 2028.' Instead of hoping for the impossible to materialise, Kadir who was Dr Mahathir's media and communications adviser during the latter's second premiership suggested that 'the best thing for the opposition and their supporters is to use these cases as political campaign material'. 'In many ways, whether from an official or personal perspective, the PM is vulnerable. He can be reprimanded, criticised and even sued. Even to holding mass protests so that he is removed,' observed the veteran newsman. 'As a reminder, as I wrote briefly in my FB page on Tuesday (Aug 12), 'If you aspire to become a public figure, the best policy is not to be found guilty'.' – Aug 14, 2025
