One-time deputy premier Anwar Ibrahim has not wavered in his intention to file a RM100 million defamation suit against his former mentor Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

"Dr Mahathir can be sure that a writ of summons is certainly coming his way," his lawyer Sankara Nair ( left ) told a press conference at the Sultan Abdul Samad building this morning.

He expects the suit to be filed within two weeks when Anwar will return for a short break from his lecturing stints in United States and the UK.

On Sept 20, Anwar said he would take legal action against Mahathir if the latter refused to apologise and pay RM100 million in compensation for statements alleging that he (Anwar) is a 'sodomist'.

Mahathir rejected the demands and said he would "vigorously defend" any proceeding against him. There have been no new developments since.

Anwar had described Mahathir's remarks as "grossly negligent, reckless, irresponsible, deliberate and malicious". He further claimed that the remarks were aimed to discredit his character and "expose him to public hatred, scorn, odium, contempt and ridicule".

Sankara explained that the delay in filing the suit was due to the meticulous gathering of evidence and preparation of documents.

"This is a serious and complex matter. I have to be circumspect and have been meticulously gathering the evidence and preparing the pleadings in consultation with several senior counsel including Raja Aziz Addruse and Datuk Param Cumarasuamy," he said.

He said that he has been in "constant contact" with Anwar to discuss the legal action.

Confident of success

Sankara also said he is aware that Mahathir has been repeating the allegation.

"We have confidence (that we will succeed), no matter what Dr Mahathir says," he said.

Anwar, once the heir apparent to Mahathir, was sacked in 1998 and subsequently charged and convicted for sodomy and corruption.

He was sentenced to 15 years' in jail for both offences, and completed the six-year sentence for corruption. Last year, the sodomy conviction was quashed upon appeal to the Federal Court and he was freed.

From the onset, Anwar has claimed that the charges were trumped-up as there was a political conspiracy against him. However, Mahathir has denied this.