Sanusi reminds Mahfuz not to overspend money won from lawsuit
ALOR SETAR - Kedah Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor advised Kedah Pakatan Harapan (PH) chairman Datuk Mahfuz Omar not to overspend money he received from the defamation lawsuit.
Sanusi said that if Mahfuz's lawsuit is ruled in his favour, there is a possibility that the compensation money, paid to Mahfuz in early May, might be returned to the Menteri Besar.
""If I win the case, then he (Mahfuz) will have to repay my money. So, hold off on spending the money I gave just yet. Who knows, maybe in the future, he will have to pay me too," he said sarcastically.
Sanusi said Mahfuz had previously reminded him to settle the increased compensation amount from RM50,000 to RM120,000. He added that the case had already been resolved after the payment of the compensation.
Mahfuz initiated the defamation lawsuit on October 9, 2019, in response to a Facebook post by Sanusi on July 30 of the same year, linking Amanah vice-president with the relocation of Sports Toto gambling premises to the Pokok Sena area.
"I have another case involving Mahfuz where I sued him this time because he had accused me of buying a Vellfire. The case is still ongoing," he said.
In October 2020, Sanusi filed a defamation lawsuit against multiple individuals, including opposition leaders who had accused him of being linked to the purchase of a Toyota Vellfire car by Syarikat Air Darul Aman (SADA).
Other than Mahfuz, Kedah Amanah chairman Datuk Dr Ismail Salleh was also sued.
The purchase of a Toyota Vellfire multipurpose vehicle (MPV) by SADA gained widespread attention on social media when certain parties associated it with Sanusi.
The news led the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) to meet with the management of the company to check documents related to the purchase of the luxury vehicle.
The SADA chariman had previously said that the Toyota Vellfire was purchased for the intended use of the board of directors, senior officers, and their guests.
Sanusi has refused to comment further on the case as it is still on trial and has left it to the court to decide on the matter.
"Let the court to decide on the case. If he pays less then it's okay. If he has to pay more, then it will exceed the money he has," he said.
