Former Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission chief Ahmad Said Hamdan apologised to the Selangor menteri besar in open court today for a statement he made in 2009.

NONE Menteri Besar Abdul Khalid Ibrahim's lawyer Sankara Nair ( left ) said the government and Ahmad Said have agreed to publish the apology, within four days, in the two dailies that reported Ahmad Said’s statement.

It will have to be placed on the front page of the New Straits Times , but there is no specific requirement for The Star to do likewise.

"Tan Sri Khalid has magnanimously agreed to a minimum of RM10,000 in costs," Sankara told the Kuala Lumpur High Court this morning after the settlement was recorded before Justice Lau Bee Lan.

ahmad said hamdan aca bpr boss Reading from a prepared statement, Ahmad Said ( right ) said he had no malicious intent to tarnish or damage Khalid's integrity and image in making the remark in 2009.

"It was made in my capacity as chief commissioner (of MACC), when reporters asked for comment on the matter,” he said.

“I also agree that, at the time the statement was made, the investigation paper had yet to be submitted to, or decided by, the attorney-general for action.”

Ahmad Said arrived at the court quietly, accompanied by several MACC officers. Before leaving, he shook Khalid's hand inside the courtroom.

‘I don’t want damages’

Khalid, who had named Ahmad Said and the government as defendants, said he accepted the apology and its publication in New Straits Times and The Star .

NONE “I’ve decided not to seek damages although the statement damaged my reputation and that of my family, even my position as Selangor MB,” he said.

“I do not want taxpayers’ money be used to pay damages, although Ahmad Said had made the statement as a civil servant... I’ve only asked for minimal costs.

“I’m of the view that each citizen has the right to live securely and (with) dignity (under provisions of) the federal constitution. All this must be respected by all, in order (for Malaysia) to become a civilised nation.”

On Feb 21, 2009, Ahmad Said had said at a press conference in Penang that Khalid could be charged with abuse of power for the purchase of cows and maintenance of a luxury car that he personally owned.

However, Khalid was cleared by the MACC about a year later and the decision was affirmed by the commission's operations review panel in July 2010.