Former Selangor menteri besar Abdul Khalid Ibrahim's defamation suit against PKR election director Saifuddin Nasution may have been resolved in an out-of-court settlement but confusion reigns over the nature of the apologies.

This was after PKR claimed the settlement was based on mutual apology.

However, Khalid's lawyer Edmund Bon ( photo ) rebutted this, stating that Saifuddin's apology was unconditional over the defamatory remarks he had made while Khalid's apology was a goodwill in conjunction with the Syawal month.

Immediately after the settlement at the Shah Alam High Court today, PKR secretary-general Rafizi Ramli in a statement said the terms were as follow:

1) Khalid withdraws the lawsuit

2) Saifuddin and PKR apologises to Khalid

3) Khalid apologises to Saifuddin and PKR

However, Bon said the terms publicised by PKR were inaccurate.

"The first position is, Khalid did not withdraw the suit. The suit was settled by way of consent judgment. A consent judgment is not the same as withdrawing a suit.

"Secondly, Saifuddin clearly apologised unconditionally regarding the seven defamatory statements which were the subjects of the suit by Khalid.

"This is including the Bank Islam issue, the Eco-World issue, the Kidex issue and the water restructuring issue for Selangor.

"Furthermore, Saifuddin undertook to the court that the words should not have been used and will not repeat those words again.

"Then Khalid accepted the apology in good faith and took the opportunity - because it is the month of Syawal - to apologise if he had in any way hurt the feelings of people including Saifuddin and PKR members," Bon told Malaysiakini .

Bon noted that this was the first time PKR had to make an apology in court.

After two-hour closed-door discussion

The settlement was arrived at after a two-hour closed-door discussion in the presence of former opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim.

Anwar ( photo ) was allowed out of Sungai Buloh prison today to act as witness for Saifuddin in the case.

Khalid and Saifuddin had engaged in a feud as PKR sought to remove Khalid as menteri besar last year.

Faced with Khalid's refusal to step down, Saifuddin, who was then PKR secretary-general, had on August 4 went on to state a list of the then Selangor menteri besar's supposed failures.

This prompted Khalid to file a defamation suit against Saifuddin on August 18 last year.

Khalid was finally ousted as menteri besar on September 21 after a protracted political crisis in Selangor.

Also present in court was DAP's Gelang Patah MP Lim Kit Siang and family and supporters of Anwar.

In his apology, Saifuddin said he was merely explaining the political developments on behalf of PKR and did not intend to imply that Khalid ( photo ) was corrupt.

However, Saifuddin acknowledged that the remarks had affected Khalid's reputation.

"On behalf of PKR and myself, we express regret and sincerely and with a pure heart apologise unconditionally to Khalid Ibrahim," read the statement of apology, which was read out by Saifuddin in open court.

Speaking to the press later, Saifuddin said Anwar was present after being subpoenaed as a witness but ended up becoming a mediator.

"Khalid and I apologised to each other and Khalid said there was good in this.

"Khalid said he could focus on his work and I could focus on strengthening the party.

"Earlier, Anwar reminded me and Khalid that the country was facing a political and economic crisis as well as a rising cost of living," he said.

According to the mutual judgment uploaded online by Bon, Saifuddin's was set as a condition, failing which legal proceedings can be initiated to force the PKR election director to comply.

However, Khalid's apology was contained in his statement acknowledging Saifuddin's apology.

"In the spirit of the month of Syawal, I too, would like to take this opportunity to ask for forgiveness ( maaf zahir dan batin ) if I have slighted the feelings of any quarters including Saifuddin and other (PKR) members," read Khalid's acknowledgement.

Khalid was represented by Bon while Saifuddin was represented by William Leong, who is also Selayang MP.