Court orders Sanusi to cease defamatory statements against Anwar

KUALA LUMPUR - Datuk Seri Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor has been ordered not to repeat or republish statements slandering Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim on social media, websites or any platforms until the lawsuit filed by the Prime Minister against the Kedah Menteri Besar is decided by the court.

Anwar’s counsel, lawyer Datuk S N Nair said that Judge Mahazan Mat Taib allowed the inter-parte injunction by the Pakatan Harapan chairman during the online proceedings held today at the Alor Setar High Court.

"The injunction prevents the defendant (Sanusi), his employees or agents from repeating or publishing similar statements with the tendency to depict the plaintiff (Anwar) directly or through insinuation on any of the defendant’s social media channels, websites or other platforms until the lawsuit is dealt with,” Nair said when contacted, adding that the court set Feb 19, 2024 for case management.

Nair was assisted by lawyer Jaden Phoon Wai Ken while Sanusi was represented by lawyers Yusfarizal Yussoff and Adam Luqman Amdan at today’s proceedings.

Anwar, 76, had sought the injunction in the lawsuit he filed against Sanusi on Dec 13 last year over a defamatory comments he made during a speech while engaged in the ‘Jelajah PN Best Tambun’ election campaign last year.

Anwar alleged in his statement of claim that the defamatory statements implied that the plaintiff obtained a royal pardon through deception and had remained unpardoned, as well as had deceived the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, was a liar who could not be trusted, had no ethics and had betrayed the people’s mandate.

The statements were made with ill intent aimed to manipulate the public and create personal hatred against him and PH during the 15th general election campaigning period on Nov 19 last year, Anwar claimed.

Sanusi said in his statement of defence that he had no ill intent nor did he aim to slander Anwar, but had criticised the Tambun MP for the purpose of campaigning. - BERNAMA