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Legal action shows I hit a nerve, PM's aide returns fire
Published:  May 4, 2016 2:29 PM
Updated: 8:35 AM

Tengku Sariffuddin Tengku Ahmad is unfazed by the suit filed against him by Mukhriz Mahathir, stating that he is looking forward to discussing the matter further in court.

"Their legal action shows that I have hit a nerve," said the press aide to Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak in defending his statements that courted the defamation suit.

"It is understandable that Mukhriz is emotionally distressed that for once his father has failed to get his way," he added in a media statement.

Mukhriz, the son of former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad, filed the suit based on Tengku Sariffuddin's claim that he harboured the ambition to become prime minister.

He claimed Tengku Sariffuddin's media statements gave the impression that Mukhriz was unprincipled, immoral and would circumvent the democratic process to achieve his goal.

Meanwhile, the prime minister's aide also found it ironic that Mukhriz chose to sue him, since his father often complained that the law is used to silence Najib’s critics.

"Unlike Mahathir, I haven't made any wild allegations," he said.

"My opinions are fair comment based on actions by Mahathir, Mukhriz and (former deputy prime minister) Muhyiddin Yassin, who led the failed campaign to unseat the prime minister.

"They were interested parties, and I believe motivated by ambition and desire for power.

"Many think that Mahathir wanted Muhyiddin to be his proxy prime minister, with Mukhriz as deputy prime minister until he is ready to take over," he added.

Tengku Sariffuddin also said Mahathir knows there is a quicker method than the courts to stop all the speculation about his motivation to replace the prime minister.

"All he needs to do is state who he wants instead as prime minister and deputy prime minister.

"His consistent failure to answer this one simple question betrays the truth: the objective of Mahathir's Anti-Najib campaign is to pave the way for his son," he added.

Therefore, Tengku Sariffuddinn argued that his comments, if viewed in the context of the entire episode, would be acceptable.

"I'm confident it will be clear that what I said is fair and represents my reading of the actions of Mukhriz and his father without any malice.

"So I'm not disturbed by this legal action. I look forward to seeing Mukhriz and discussing this further in court," he said.

Mukhriz, in a statement yesterday, denied that his father was attempting to engineer his political ascension.

He claimed that Mahathir would have done so during his tenure as prime minister, and not now, 13 years after his retirement.

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