"That's what Karpal says, he is not a judge," said Minister in the Prime Minister's Department, Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz in referring to senior lawyer Karpal Singh's comments that the statute of limitations had expired for Ummi Hafida Ali to sue him.

Nazri said it appeared as though Karpal Singh was making the comments because he did not want Ummi Afilda to proceed with the suit.

"Karpal is not a judge to make such a decision. It is as though he has no other excuse, it means what Ummi Hafilda is saying is true.

"Whatever the case against Karpal Singh, bring it on, let the court decide," he said when asked to comment on remarks by Karpal yesterday urging Ummi Hafilda's laywer to first check the legal provisions before proceeding with the suit.

Speaking at a press conference in George Town yesterday, Karpal Singh, who is also DAP chairperson, said the six-year statute of limitation for the suit had expired 13 years ago.

NONE Ummi Hafilda, a key witness in the 1998 sodomy trial of Anwar Ibrahim, has stated that she intended to sue the opposition leader, her estranged brother and PKR deputy president Azmin Ali, PKR president Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, Karpal and PAS for a total of RM700 million for their alleged conduct against her.

Ummi Hafilda's accusation against Karpal was that he had betrayed her trust after she and Anwar's former driver Azizan Abu Bakar had met him to expose the former prime minister's alleged sexual misconduct and plans to seek RM300 million in damages from the lawyer.

Anwar was found not guilty in 2004 after the Federal Court ruled that the testimony of Azizan was not acceptable.

- Bernama