PKR election director Saifuddin Nasution has insisted the settlement of former Selangor menteri besar Abdul Khalid Ibrahim's suit against him was resolved following a mutual apology.

Saifuddin went on to blame Khalid's lawyer Edmund Bon of trying to prolong the issue.

This was after Bon yesterday rebutted the terms of settlement that was publicised by PKR.

In a statement yesterday, PKR secretary-general Rafizi Ramli said the three terms were: Khalid to withdraw the suit, Saifuddin and PKR apologise to Khalid and Khalid apologises to Saifuddin and PKR.

"I regret the statement by Khalid's lawyer Bon which gave a different picture (to the issue).

"In fact, during the (settlement discussion), Khalid had from the beginning wanted to apologise but he (Bon) was not keen with the settlement.

"The argument that Khalid did not apologise and that his apology that was recorded by the court is a 'Raya' apology in conjunction with Syawal is inaccurate, insincere and an attempt to drag the matter on," said Saifuddin in a press release.

Saifuddin said that if the apology was merely a goodwill apology, it would not have been needed to be recorded by the court.

Saifuddin added that he had agreed to the reference of Syawal in Khalid's apology in the context of forgiveness in the Syawal month and the need for both of them to focus on the rakyat's interest.

"The action by certain quarters to twist the Syawal reference in Khalid's apology as merely a 'Raya apology' is dishonest.

"I hope the settlement based on mutual apology will not be prolonged and twisted by other quarters as a respect to the agreement between me and Khalid in front of (former opposition leader) Anwar Ibrahim.

‘Anwar helped with negotiation’

Saifuddin had subpoenaed Anwar as a witness for the case but said he was advised by the former opposition leader to settle the case, who then helped negotiate an amicable solution.

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 Aug 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 Aug 18 last year.

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