Sarawak Report editor Clare Rewcastle-Brown has accused PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang of colluding with Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak by suing her for defamation.

According to her defence statement sighted by Malaysiakini, the London-based journalist said the defamation suit was intended to discredit her, Sarawak Report and the website's "justified campaign" to seek Najib's ouster and be brought to justice.

In April, Hadi filed a suit against Rewcastle-Brown over a Sarawak Report comment piece which read: "...in the normal way he woos - RM90 million is widely reckoned to have flowed into the top echelons of PAS in recent months (BN veterans would tell them they came cheap)."

Based on the court documents, Rewcastle-Brown's defence relied on Section 4 of UK's Defamation Act 2013, which states that it is a defence to an act of defamation if the statement was in the public's interest.

In view of this, Rewcastle-Brown's defence statement recounted, at length, her version of events surrounding the 1MDB saga and how it intertwined with Najib's political involvement, which included PAS.

Rewcastle-Brown has also filed a counter-claim against Hadi for the harassment she allegedly endured due to articles on two websites which published details of the defamation suit.

She argued either Hadi or his agents were a party to the publications of the said articles, which had intentionally subjected her to racial abuse, defamation and harassment.

Rewcastle-Brown had also named former Bar Council chairperson Ambiga Sreenevasan as her source with regard to the allegation that PAS received funds from Najib.

Rewcastle-Brown has been accused of being part of a conspiracy spearheaded by former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad to topple Najib.

She has denied the allegation as well as having received funding from Mahathir.

She also said that her statements in question were not directed at Hadi or any individuals personally.