From one MB to another: Amirudin files defamation suit against Sanusi

Selangor Menteri Besar Amirudin Shari has hauled his Kedah counterpart Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor to the civil court over an allegation that the former is involved with tycoon Vincent Tan in a scandal linked to the Sungai Klang river cleaning project.

When contacted, the plaintiff's counsel Haijan Omar confirmed that the lawsuit was filed at the Shah Alam High Court yesterday, with copies of the cause papers having been served on the defendant.

Back on Aug 9, Amirudin's legal team served a letter of demand on Sanusi, seeking for the defendant to apologise within 48 hours and pay RM10 million in damages.

Sanusi, in a speech during the ‘Jelajah Mega PN Best Sayangi Kedah Sejahtera’ at Dataran Darul Aman, Jitra, was alleged to have made the claim about the scandal between Amirudin and Tan, who wanted to implement an RM10 billion project in Sungai Klang.

Previously, Tan had also filed a similar defamation action against Sanusi.

According to the present legal action's statement of claim, Amirudin alleged that Sanusi failed to heed the former's legal letter to retract the allegation and apologise over the speech during the state election campaign period on Aug 2.

‘Politically motivated’

The plaintiff claimed that the speech implied among others that he had abused his power as Selangor menteri besar by engaging in corrupt practices linked to the Selangor Maritime Gateway Project (SMG Project).

Amirudin claimed the allegation implied that he had engaged in power abuse to cause 242.8ha of state land worth RM10 billion to be given for free to Tan or the businessperson's company, Berjaya Land Berhad.

Amirudin also contended that Sanusi recklessly uttered the “politically motivated” untrue allegation to “cast the plaintiff in a bad light ahead of the state elections on Aug 12”.

"The defamatory statements and republications of the defamatory statements resulted in the plaintiff being widely ridiculed by members of the public as 'cokia'," Amirudin claimed over how the speech had purportedly inflicted serious injury on his character and reputation.

The plaintiff is seeking unspecified general, aggravated, and exemplary damages, as well as an injunction to restrain Sanusi from further repeating the allegation.

When contacted by Malaysiakini, Sanusi's counsel Yusfarizal Yusoff confirmed that they have been served copies of the lawsuit.

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Amirudin serves letter of demand to Sanusi, seeks apology, RM10m

Sanusi refuses to apologise, claims Berjaya case 'still developing'

It's a question of credibility - Amirudin presses ahead to sue Sanusi

Vincent Tan demands Sanusi apologise, pay RM200m