Whistleblower Mohd Ramli Manan has demanded an apology from top lawyer Muhammad Shafee Abdullah. Failing which, he threatened to file a defamation suit against him.

On March 15, Shafee told the Kuala Lumpur High Court that Ramli, the former Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA) Sabah director, was 'insane' and likened him to a 'runaway train' over his comments published in an earlier interview with malaysiakini . He also said that 'someone should stop him'.

Shafee had argued that his client - former land and cooperative minister Kasitah Gaddam who is facing corruption charges - considered the comments to be highly prejudicial to the on-going trial and was contemplating initiating contempt proceedings against Ramli.

In a letter to Shafee today, Ramli's lawyer K Munjeet described the former's statements as false, malicious and defamatory.

Munjeet also stated that the statements brought his client "into public scandal, odium and contempt."

"Our client objects strenuously to referring him as an insane person," read the letter, a copy of which was faxed to malaysiakini .

"Further, the statement 'someone must stop him' is a subtle or open invitation to others to put an end to his life," he added.

14 days to respond

Averring that Shafee ( left ) was the 'principal cause' for the statements, Munjeet said his client asked for an apology 'in the terms to be dictated' by him along with compensation as to be agreed between the two parties.

He said a defamation suit would be filed 'without further notice' if Shafee failed to reply within 14 days.

Kasitah, 60, is alleged to have used his position as Sabah Land Development Board (SLDB) chairperson to approve a proposal for the sale of 16.8 million shares held by the board to Briskmark Sdn Bhd.

He is also alleged to have deceived the SLDB by omitting to disclose the offer by PPB Palms Sdn Bhd to allocate five shares of the company for each share of Sapi Plantations in the proposal by PPB Oil Palms for the listing on the Kuala Lumpur Stock Exchange.

Shafee could not be contacted at press time.

In the interview with malaysiakini , Ramli claimed that he was put in cold storage for his role in investigating Kasitah. He blamed former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad for this.

The former civil servant landed in the spotlight recently when an anti-corruption watchdog exposed a report he had penned prior to his retirement last year which contained explosive allegations against ACA director-general Zulkipli Mat Noor.