Muhyiddin sues Anwar for defamation over Felda settlers debt issue

KUALA LUMPUR - Perikatan Nasional chairman Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin has filed a defamation suit against Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim over the Federal Land Development Authority (Felda) settlers' debt write-off amounting to RM8.3 billion.

Muhyiddin as the plaintiff filed the legal action at the High Court, here, through Messrs Rosli Dahlan Saravana Partnership on Thursday naming Anwar, 76, as the sole defendant.

The Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) president is seeking RM200 million in exemplary damages.

In the writ of summons and statement of claim, the plaintiff alleged that Anwar made a defamatory remark in a speech during the 2023 Felda Settlers’ Day celebration in Serdang, Selangor on July 7.

He claimed that the speech was live streamed via 'Facebook Live' on Anwar’s page.

The Pagoh MP denied Anwar's statement the next day, explaining that the disposal of the Felda settlers' debt of RM8.3 billion had already been implemented in 2021.

Muhyiddin claimed that despite his explanation, the PKR president continued to defame the plaintiff by insisting that the Felda settlers’ debt had been written off during a speech at a dialogue session held at Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM).

The speech at the UUM dialogue session, Muhyiddin claimed was live streamed on the defendant’s Facebook and Youtube pages.

Muhyiddin alleged that the defendant then tried to manipulate the two defamatory statements by saying that even though the Cabinet Ministers Council (MJM) had approved the RM8.3 billion debt write-off, there was no financial provision which the latter had to provide.

“Quite clearly, the defendant is now admitting that the Felda settlers’ debt write-off had been implemented during the plaintiff’s tenure as prime minister, but still insists on making false and malicious allegations against the plaintiff,” he stated.

He added that the Tambun MP had once again ignored the demands he made through his lawyer, by continuing to perpetuate the defamation against him.

On July 19, he recounted, during the Maal Hijrah 1445H Perpaduan Tanjong Karang celebration in Selangor, the defendant made a declaration to release a document proving that he signed the debt write-off.

Muhyiddin claimed that through a Prime Minister’s Office statement dated July 20, 2023, the defendant exhibited a document entitled ‘Assignment of Finance Service Reserve Account 1 (FSRA)' dated June 26, 2023 which bore his signature as the Finance Minister together with a document entitled ‘Kerajaan Malaysia – Arahan Pembayaran’ dated July 18, 2013 for RM990 million.

On the same day (July 20) the Finance Ministry also issued a statement confirming that the document entitled ‘Assignment of Finance Service Reserve Account 1 (FSRA 1)’ was signed by the defendant on June 26 and stated that the document was related to the RM9.9 billion Sukuk and the government’s 10-year grant of RM990 million per annum.

Therefore, he said it was clear that the documents were not on the Felda settlers’ debt write-off implemented two years ago.

Muhyiddin claimed that as a result of the publication of the defamation, his reputation was affected as people believed that the statements were true.

He is seeking for general damages, exemplary or punitive damages commensurating with the RM200 million compensation claimed by the defendant against the plaintiff and aggravated damages, among others.