Pakatan Rakyat wants the authorities to probe allegations that Anwar Ibrahim spent RM50 million to buy off the judges and prosecutors, a claim made by Umno's Mazlan Ismail, who stood and lost against the former in Permatang Pauh during the last general election.
In view of the seriousness of the allegations, DAP chairperson Karpal Singh, who was also implicated by Mazlan, said attorney-general Abdul Gani Patail and Chief Justice Arrifin Zakaria must respond.
"Mazlan should have referred to us for comments before making this serious allegation which is not only against me and Anwar but also against the judiciary and the deputy public prosecutors.
"The attorney-general cannot sit back, he has to spring into action in defence of the judiciary. Likewise, the chief justice must also respond in defence of the judiciary," he told a press conference at the PKR headquarters this afternoon.
Yesterday, Utusan Malaysia reported that Mazlan had received 6,000 letters accusing Anwar of paying RM50 million in legal fees to Karpal since 2008 and also to pay off judges and prosecutors.
He also alleged that letters contained alleged details of Anwar’s bank accounts were widely distributed in the Permatang Pauh constituency.
Both Anwar and Karpal today lodged police reports over the matter.
In view of the seriousness of the allegations, DAP chairperson Karpal Singh, who was also implicated by Mazlan, said attorney-general Abdul Gani Patail and Chief Justice Arrifin Zakaria must respond.
"Mazlan should have referred to us for comments before making this serious allegation which is not only against me and Anwar but also against the judiciary and the deputy public prosecutors.
"The attorney-general cannot sit back, he has to spring into action in defence of the judiciary. Likewise, the chief justice must also respond in defence of the judiciary," he told a press conference at the PKR headquarters this afternoon.
Yesterday, Utusan Malaysia reported that Mazlan had received 6,000 letters accusing Anwar of paying RM50 million in legal fees to Karpal since 2008 and also to pay off judges and prosecutors.
He also alleged that letters contained alleged details of Anwar’s bank accounts were widely distributed in the Permatang Pauh constituency.
Both Anwar and Karpal today lodged police reports over the matter.
Karpal to sue
Karpal, who is Bukit Gelugor MP and often acts as Anwar’s lawyer, said the claim was tantamount to criminal defamation and seditious as it brought the judiciary into disrepute.
He said he would welcome investigations by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) but vowed to initiate defamation suits against TV3, Utusan Malaysia and New Straits Times over their reports on Mazlan’s claims.
"I take this matter very seriously, there is no question of any payment, we deny any payments made (to judges and prosecutors).
"If Mazlan is a anak jantan (man), I challenge him to reveal the said bank accounts as well as the source of the information that is supposedly (leaked) by my former staff," said Karpal.
Meanwhile, Anwar, who is also Permatang Pauh MP, said Karpal had represented him in legal cases for more than a decade and the issue of payment had never arose.
"This presents as a perverse pattern of fabrication to discredit me, Karpal and other Pakatan leaders.
"I believe this is a ploy to deflect attention from the pressing issues such as the gloomy economic outlook, (rise in) violent crimes and the latest corruption scandal," he said.
In an unrelated matter, Karpal reiterated that DAP will not comply with the Registrar of Societies' order for the party to hold a re-election of its central executive committee until it provides a proper reason for the decision.
Karpal, who is Bukit Gelugor MP and often acts as Anwar’s lawyer, said the claim was tantamount to criminal defamation and seditious as it brought the judiciary into disrepute.
He said he would welcome investigations by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) but vowed to initiate defamation suits against TV3, Utusan Malaysia and New Straits Times over their reports on Mazlan’s claims.
"I take this matter very seriously, there is no question of any payment, we deny any payments made (to judges and prosecutors).
"If Mazlan is a anak jantan (man), I challenge him to reveal the said bank accounts as well as the source of the information that is supposedly (leaked) by my former staff," said Karpal.
Meanwhile, Anwar, who is also Permatang Pauh MP, said Karpal had represented him in legal cases for more than a decade and the issue of payment had never arose.
"This presents as a perverse pattern of fabrication to discredit me, Karpal and other Pakatan leaders.
"I believe this is a ploy to deflect attention from the pressing issues such as the gloomy economic outlook, (rise in) violent crimes and the latest corruption scandal," he said.
In an unrelated matter, Karpal reiterated that DAP will not comply with the Registrar of Societies' order for the party to hold a re-election of its central executive committee until it provides a proper reason for the decision.
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