KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 14 — Former PKR vice-president Datuk Zuraida Kamaruddin today tendered an apology to party secretary-general Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail in open court as part of a settlement to a defamation suit he had filed against her three years ago.

She also retracted the statements she had made against him in a speech at the Renaissance Hotel here on December 8, 2019, according to lawyer Navpreet Singh who represented Saifuddin Nasution in the Sessions Court here this morning.

“Zuraida has retracted her statements made against Saifuddin Nasution and rendered an apology in open court.

“The terms of these settlement are full and final, with both parties not having any liberty to file afresh. No order as to costs,” he told Malay Mail when contacted.

Saifuddin Nasution filed the defamation suit against Zuraida on July 21, 2020 over her 2019 remarks in which she purported that he had received “millions of ringgit” while managing Kelantan’s Tabung Amanah Tok Kenali under the state menteri besar then, the late Datuk Seri Nik Aziz Nik Mat, from 2004 to 2007.

In his 2020 court filing, Saifuddin Nasution said Zuraida’s allegation was baseless as Kelantan did not have such funds and Nik Aziz was known as a modest and honest leader.

He also noted that it was the first time that he was suing for defamation in his entire political career, which had spanned nearly 30 years at the time.

On January 18, 2020, Zuraida was issued a show cause letter by PKR as she was the party vice-president at the time.

Saifuddin Nasution clarified that the show-cause letter was issued by the party’s disciplinary board, while the letter of demand against Zuraida was personally filed over the alleged defamation made against him.

A few days later, a group of 46 PKR leaders came out in defence of Zuraida and demanded that the party drop all disciplinary proceedings against her.

The faction affiliated with PKR’s then deputy president Datuk Seri Azmin Ali and Zuraida consisting of 15 MPs and 28 state assemblymen, said the show-cause letter against her was issued in bad faith.

Zuraida is now deputy chairman of a non-governmental organisation called Muafakat Nasional set up by sacked Umno veteran Tan Sri Annuar Musa who is now with PAS.