KUALA LUMPUR, July 24 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s counterclaim against Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin for defamation was “nonsense” and would amount to abuse of the court process, the latter’s lawyers said today.
In a letter saying they will proceed with Muhyiddin’s defamation action against Anwar, the lawyers said Anwar was clearly unwilling to comply with a previous letter of demand seeking an open apology and retraction.
“You should know that your client’s claim for RM200,000,000 is nonsense and, if filed as such, would amount to an abuse and mockery of the court process,” Muhyiddin’s lawyers said in the letter.
They also alleged that Anwar has made further attempts to justify the offending remarks against Muhyiddin without basis.
On July 7, Anwar announced a restructuring programme that would wipe off most of the RM8.3 billion in debt amassed by Felda settlers, saying Muhyiddin failed to execute this when he was still the PM.
On July 18, Muhyiddin, who is Perikatan Nasional chairman, sent a letter of demand to Anwar seeking an apology and retraction for claiming the former did not implement a debt waiver scheme for Felda settlers.
Anwar then responded with the counterclaim against Muhyiddin for alleging that the former had lied about the matter.
