Anwar sues ex-BN candidate, Umno media for accusing him of bribery

Former opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim today files a defamation suit against Dr Mazlan Ismail, the Barisan Nasional candidate in the 2013 general election, for accusing him of bribing judges and prosecutors. – The Malaysian Insider filepic, October 15, 2015.

Former opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim today filed a defamation suit against Dr Mazlan Ismail, the Barisan Nasional candidate in the 2013 general election, for accusing him of bribing judges and prosecutors.

Anwar, who is in Sungai Buloh prison following a sodomy conviction, has also fileda similar suit against Umno controlled media Sistem Televisyen Malaysia Bhd and Utusan Melayu (M) Bhd for publishing the defamatory words.
 
The writ and statement of claim was filed in the Kuala Lmpur High Court registry this afternoon through the legal firm Karpal Singh & Co.

He is seeking an unspecified amount of damages, cost and other relief deemed fit by the court.

Mazlan, who Anwar defeated him for Permatang Pauh seat, had claimed to have received more than 6,000 anonymous letters alleging that Anwar had paid the late Karpal Singh more than RM50 million since 2008 as legal fees and bribes to judges and prosecutors.

Karpal was Anwar's lawyer in the latter's sodomy trial involving Anwar's former aide Saiful Bukhari Azlan.

The lawyer died in a road accident in April last year.

Anwar said Mazlan held the press conference on August 2, 2013 and uttered the defamatory remarks which were aired by the television station on the same night.

Malay daily Utusan Malaysia published Mazlan's statement the following day.

Anwar said the statement by the defendants implied that he was a politician who lacked integrity, was of low morals and unfit to hold public officer as he offered bribes.

Anwar said at the time the statement were made, he was the opposition leader, Permatan Pauh MP, and the allegation put him in low esteem in the eyes of the public.

He said the publisher and the television station practised irresponsible journalism as they did not verify Mazlan's statement.

Anwar and Karpal had also lodge police reports against Mazlan, TV3 and Utusan for publishing false news.

However, police only classified the reports as criminal defamation, but no action was taken.
 
The duo had then sent a letter to then attorney-general Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail inquiring about the status of their reports against Mazlan made at the Petaling Jaya police on August 4, 2013.

At that time, Karpal had said he expected Gani to give special attention to this case as Mazlan had implicated both the judiciary and his officials.

- TMI