Anwar's home in Bandar Sungai Long is leased - Lawyer
PUTRAJAYA - The accusation thrown against Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim that he is residing in a house linked to a tycoon was slander.
Lawyer representing the Prime Minister, Datuk Sankara Nair said that Anwar is currently residing in a leased house in Bandar Sungai Long, Kajang, Selangor.
He said the lease on the two-story house was made in the prime minister's name with the original owner for a period of 10 years.
Sankara said the lease was undertaken in Nov 2020 before Anwar was appointed prime minister.
"The land (home in Bandar Sungai Long) is not owned by the prime minister but leased from another individual.
"The lease process was registered, and the payment has been made.
"I can't share much information as the police are investigating this matter," he told reporters on Thursday.
He was met after the prime minister's political secretary, Ahmad Farhan Fauzi, lodged a police report over the matter.
Farhan and Sankara lodged the police report in the Putrajaya district police headquarters (IPD) against three individuals: political activist Badrul Hisham Shaharin, or Chegu Bard; former Bersatu Information chief Datuk Wan Saiful Wan Jan; and Raggie Jessy Rithaudeen.
The police report was made on the basis of a false and slanderous allegation against the prime minister.
Chegu Bard submitted a memorandum and evidence on the ownership of the prime minister's private residence, vehicle collection, and land ownership to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) on Tuesday.
Sankara said it was odd when Chegu Bard, in a statement on social media, stated that the prime minister's senior officer had revealed the documents related to the house that supposedly belonged to Anwar.
He explained it was an accusation made by the political activist and that issues that are shared with the public must be checked.
Sankara said that there was proof of payment made by the prime minister for the lease.
He added that proof would be given to the police when the investigation process is initiated.
"The lease process did not involve other deals as claimed by him (Chegu Bard).
"We all know the prime minister; even before he took the top post, he was against all forms of corruption.
"I saw the claims made against the prime minister as a malicious accusation, and legal action will be taken," he said.
Farhan said the police report made on Chegu Bard was for spreading false statements, while Wan Saiful made the accusations when speaking in the recent 'Jerlun Regional Issues Talk'.
He said Wan Saiful spoke about the prime minister's personal residence in Bandar Sungai Long as well as several vehicles he owned.
He stated the accusation and statement thrown were clearly malicious, even baseless, as well as politically motivated.
"The conclusive and comprehensive evidence that strongly rejected the false statement would be presented to the police in the investigation later.
"May Allah protect us all from all evil and lies," he said.
