Opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim has filed a notice of demand against former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad and the Umno-owned daily Utusan Malaysia for  a full and immediate retraction, apology and damages following the Wikileaks article and comments made.

anwar ibrahim sodomy allegation saiful bukhari azlan first day in court 070808 sankara nair The law firm of SN Nair ( right ) and Partners despatched the notice in response to the publication of the article Kuan Yew tahu kisah Anwar " (Kuan Yew knows Anwar's episode) published on Dec 13.

The notice said that the article had placed the opposition leader and one-time deputy prime minister in a bad light as it is libellous and had caused Anwar distress as well as embarrassment.

His lawyers claimed the article was bereft of truth, vexatious, fallacious, and scandalous.

They also claimed the article and comment were grossly negligent, reckless, deliberate, malicious and aimed at stirring up hatred in the public for Anwar's reputation.

Lawyer Sankara Nair also claimed the articles were motivated by malice, was mala fide and calculated to tarnish the image, good name and character of Anwar.

A day after the libellous Utusan Malaysia article came out, Sankara had indicated that Anwar had pressed (instructed) for possible suits to be filed against the parties concerned.  

The notice also said that the article in Utusan Malaysia and comments made by Mahathir in their ordinary meaning had portrayed Anwar as a liar, dishonest both in his private and personal capacity, untrustworthy and unfit to hold public office, unprincipled and corrupt.

It had also had painted Anwar as unethical and worse still the opposition leader had committed a criminal offence punishable by imprisonment.

Won't be the last

Wikileaks as reported in the Australian newspaper The Sun-Herald had quoted a leaked US State Department diplomatic cable as alleging that Singaporean and Australian intelligence officials believed that Anwar had indeed engaged in sodomy for which he stands accused.

They believed Anwar's latest sodomy charge was the result of a "set-up" job by his "enemies".

The Sun-Herald also revealed Singapore Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew and Singaporean intelligence officials telling Australia's intelligence agency Office of National Assessments (ONA) that "opposition leader Anwar 'did indeed commit the acts for which he is currently indicted'."

Sankara had also questioned the accurateness of the report, asking which sane person would knowingly enter into a trap.

Anwar himself had in a public gathering last week challenged Lee to meet him in court following the alleged remarks made by the senior minister.

Sankara said today that these two are the first notices sent and there will be more to other individuals and press organisations, in the next few days.

"In line with protocol, a letter seeking clarification was also sent by my office to the Singapore high commissioner by hand on Dec 15, and to date there has been no reply. I am sending a reminder to him tomorrow, failing which I will seek a personal appointment to meet with his excellency the high commissioner," he added.