Go ahead and sue me, Rafizi tells Tuan Ibrahim

PETALING JAYA - PKR deputy president Rafizi Ramli today challenges Datuk Seri Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man to sue him for alleging that the caretaker Environment and Water minister has approved a RM2 billion flood mitigation project after the parliament was dissolved.

Rafizi confirmed he received a letter of demand from the Pas deputy president and hoped that Tuan Ibrahim would continue to file a suit against him.

“I don’t want his letter of demand to be used as mere campaign material for the remainder of this election campaign, with no suit being filed in court.

“I want to go to court because I have solid evidence about my expose,” said Rafizi during a press conference at the PKR headquarters here today.

He said that if Pakatan Harapan (PH) formed a government in the 15th General Election (GE15), he would lodge police reports against Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob, Finance Minister Datuk Seri Tengku Zafrul Abdul Aziz and Environment and Tuan Ibrahim for their alleged involvements and roles in the project.

"Although Tuan Ibrahim previously challenged me to lodge a report to Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), I hope he will be patient because of course the MACC report will be made if PH forms a federal government in the near future.

"I will also focus on the responsibility of Tengku Zafrul as Finance Minister who approves direct negotiation projects like this in the upcoming press conference," he said.

At the press conference, Rafizi revealed a letter as proof that the project had been approved through direct negotiations.

Previously, Rafizi disclosed the approval status of the Sungai Langat (Phase 2) flood mitigation plan project worth RM2 billion and claimed that the ministry was in the process of awarding the project through direct negotiation to the appointed contractor.

However, Tuan Ibrahim insisted that he had never approved any project under the ministry since parliament was dissolved.

The letter of demand sent by Tuan Ibrahim to Rafizi stated that the latter must apologise for his defamatory statement via the media where the wording of the apology has to be approved by Tuan Ibrahim’s counsels and pubished in media, websites and social media platforms of the latter’s choosing.

Rafizi must also propose reasonable monetary compensation to Tuan Ibrahim as damages, and once agreed, make the agreed payment immediately.

It was reported that Rafizi had claimed Tuan Ibrahim was in the process of approving a project worth RM2 billion ringgit to a company called Mangkubumi Sdn Bhd through direct negotiations for the Sungai Langat 2 flood mitigation plan.

Rafizi also alleged that Tuan Ibrahim was involved in the awarding of projects under the Jana Wibawa Programme.