Two PKR leaders have taken action against Umno-owned Utusan Malaysia for allegedly spreading false news and defaming their reputation.

Indera Mahkota MP Azan Ismail today lodged a police report against Utusan over two articles about him quitting PKR which he said had defamed him.

He said that the newspaper published a report on March 6 saying that he had left PKR, followed by a correction that he had only quit all his posts in the party, including as state PKR deputy liaison chairman.

He said both reports were untrue and had tarnished his name and that of PKR, and portrayed him as an irresponsible leader.

He told reporters after lodging the report at the district police headquarters here that he would take legal action over the matter.

Law suit

Meanwhile, PKR deputy president Dr Syed Husin Ali has send a legal letter to Utusan demanding an apology and RM10 million in damages.

“This is in relation to a defamatory news item published by Utusan on March 6 under the title ‘RM500,000: Syed Husin dicabar lapor polis’.

“In the said article, it was alleged that I received RM500,000 from Anwar as payment for dissolving Parti Rakyat Malaysia (PRM) to expedite merger with Parti Keadilan Nasional to form Parti Keadilan Rakyat.”

Syed Husin said he would take legal action if Utusan fails to reply in seven days.