Anwar to return to the courts this morning, this time to file RM50mil suit against Utusan

Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim will file a RM50 million defamation suit against Umno-owned newspaper Utusan Malaysia at the Jalan Duta court complex in Kuala Lumpur today, January 20, accompanied by his lawyers.

Utusan and other Umno-controlled media had seized on an interview Anwar gave to BBC recently, where he was asked about the status of Malaysia's archaic homosexuality laws.

The 64-year-old Anwar had clearly stated that “we, Muslim and non-muslim generally believe and are committed to support the sanctity of marriage between man and woman in Malaysia. We do not promote homosexuality in the public sphere and domain”, while conceding that it may be timely to review the antiquated legislation.

However, Utusan in its January 17 edition, bent the comments to allege that Anwar had called for the legalizing of homosexuality, which is prohibited under Islam.

"The Utusan reports are defamatory, scurrilous, politically motivated and gutter journalism of the lowest kind," Anwar's lawyer N Surendran said in a recent statement.

Anwar is expected to further expose Utusan after filing his suit at 11am this morning.

Next from Umno

All eyes will also be on whether political arch rival Prime Minister Najib Razak will give the green light to the Attorney-General to file an appeal against Hight Court's decision to acquit him from trumped-up sodomy charges pressed against him by the government. Sodomy is a crime punishable by up to 20 years jail in Malaysia.

Recent comments by Umno hardliners such as Muhyiddin Yassin, the deputy prime minister, and Mahathir Mohamad, a former prime minister, suggest that the AG - long accused of being under Umno's thumb - will do so soon. Muhyiddin has publicly commented that an appeal was up to the AG, while Mahathir had said there was no reason why an appeal should not be lodged as it reflected the wishes of the complainant.

Anwar has said there was nothing wrong with an appeal so long as there was no government or political manipulation behind such a move. He has from day one denied the charges and has accused Najib and wife Rosman Mansor of plotting with the complainant to discredit him, and derail his political comeback.

Malaysia Chronicle