Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) deputy president Mukhriz Mahathir told the Kuala Lumpur High Court today that Tengku Sarifuddin Tengku Ahmad had made false and defamatory statements after he continuously raised the 1MDB issue while he was the Kedah menteri besar.

Mukhriz, 52, testified that the statements issued by Tengku Sarifuddin as Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak's press secretary between April and May last year had tarnished his reputation as a Bersatu leader.

"It painted a picture as if I was crazy for power, willing to be involved in a despicable campaign to become a PM, seen as an incapable politician who only rode on my father's popularity and depended on his guidance," he said.

"Tengku Sarifuddin made the false and defamatory statements because when I held the Kedah MB post, I continuously questioned the 1MDB scandal which has caused turmoil to Malaysians now.

"The false and defamatory statements were made by the defendant to play down my struggles, while Najib's government purposely and with malice tried to avoid the 1MDB scandal from being unveiled and investigated."

Earlier, Tengku Sarifuddin's lawyer Jahabardeen Mohd Yunus made a preliminary objection on some of the issues raised by Mukhriz in his witness statement, particularly over 1MDB.

Justice Ahmad Zaidi Ibrahim, however, overruled the objection as there was no basis, and allowed the witness statement to be admitted.

The court earlier ruled that the first and second statements issued by Tengku Sarifuddin need not go for trial but the third and fourth press statements would go for trial.

In his testimony during an examination-in-chief by his lawyer Haniff Khatri Abdulla, Mukhriz showed the chronology of the press statements issued and said the first statement by Tengku Sarifuddin on April 15, last year, contained the allegation that his father, Dr Mahathir Mohamad, was trying to save his (Mukhriz's) political career.

“It contains the allegation that my father and I had conspired to raise my political career by all means, including illegally, in a bid to fulfil my political ambition. The press secretary also made a second statement, which is false and defamatory, attacking my integrity and credibility in the eyes of society,” he said, adding that after the second statement, his lawyers issued a notice of demand.

Mukhriz also said that he joined Umno in 2000 but became active in 2004, and this showed that Mahathir had barred his children from taking an active part in politics when he was the prime minister and Umno president.

When shown a report by the South China Morning Post (SCMP), dated April 20, last year, and the third press statement issued by Tengku Sarifuddin, Mukhriz said that he had never announced to any newspaper that he aspired to be prime minister.

“But it is not criminal or immoral for any politician (who wants) to give noble and transparent leadership to the people, to have the aspiration for that post (of PM), as long as it is done legally, rightly and in the interests of the people.”

When cross-examined by Jahaberdeen on this issue in reference to the three paragraphs in the third press statement, Mukhriz said the statements made by Tengku Sarifuddin were defamatory.

“The defendant raised the issue that if I had no ambition to be PM, then why did I contest the Umno vice-president post in 2013. I do not agree with the defendant's statement (which was made) in bad faith in questioning my contest in 2013 as vice-president as if I want to be PM.

“There are many vice-presidents in Umno who do not become PM, and there are deputy presidents who do not rise to become PM. Being a vice-president does not pave the way to be the PM. It is the defendant's assumption that I contested the post of vice-president to aspire for the post of PM.”

Mukhriz explained that when he gave the interview with SCMP, he was still in Umno as it was conducted in April last year, but now that he has joined Bersatu and is its deputy president, the situation and circumstances had changed.

He was quoted by SCMP as having said that “I do not have the ambition to become (PM) as I will inherit the mess (from 1MDB). I have no ambition to become PM".

Mukhriz was sacked from Umno in June 2016.

He also told the court that Mahathir had wanted to unseat Najib since 2014.

Mukhriz said his father and former deputy prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin have shared a common intention to get rid of Najib.

“I would not call it conspiring but a common intention,” he said.

The hearing before Justice Ahmad Zaidi continues tomorrow with Mukhriz's cross-examination.

Mahathir is also expected to take the stand.