Monday June 30, 2008 MYT 9:43:03 PM

Anwar files suit against former aide (updated)

By M. MAGESWARI

KUALA LUMPUR: Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) advisor Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has filed a suit against his former aide for allegedly lodging a malicious and false report against him and defaming him.

Anwar has named Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan, 23, as a defendant in the suit filed at the High Court (civil) registry here at 10.30am on Monday.

He filed a writ of summons and an indorsement of claim through the law firm of Messrs Ranjit Ooi & Robert Low.

Sivarasa Rasiah, right, lawyer for Anwar Ibrahim talks to reporters at the High Court in Kuala Lumpur on Monday. Anwar has filed a lawsuit against his male aide who accused him of sodomy. - AP

In the indorsement of claim (the summary of the suit), Anwar said Mohd Saiful had lodged a police report on Saturday saying that he had been sodomised by Anwar on Thursday.

Anwar contended that the defendant had acted maliciously and lodged the police report with an ulterior and a collateral purpose to harm him and destroy him politically.

The PKR de facto leader further claimed that Mohd Saiful knew that the police report would receive wide national and international media coverage.

Anwar claimed that Mohd Saiful had lodged a false report although he knew that the sodomy did not take place between them.

The plaintiff said Mohd Saiful knew that Anwar intended to stand for elections as a Member of Parliament in the near future.

He claimed that Mohd Saiful wrote and published defamatory words against him in the police report, that implied Anwar engaged in unnatural sexual behaviour and was a homosexual.

Anwar said the words also implied that he had committed a heinous act contrary to the Muslim faith.

In consequence, Anwar said his reputation has been seriously injured and that he suffered considerable distress and embarrassment.

He is claiming damages for abuse and vexatious use of process, malicious false report and libel as well other costs and relief deemed fit by the court.

Speaking to reporters later, his lawyer R. Sivarasa, who is also PKR vice-president, said they would be filing a statement of claim for the suit within a week.

“Anwar filed the suit to challenge the defendant for lodging a malicious false report against him and to reinforce his position that it (the report) was completely fabricated to damage his political career,” he said.

Sivarasa, also the MP for Subang, said the document would be served to the defendant as soon as possible.

His co-counsel Ranjit Singh said he had received instructions from Anwar to apply for an early trial date from the court to hear the suit as it was a matter of public interest.

Full coverage: Sodomy allegations against Anwar

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