GEORGE TOWN: Apologising for an earlier statement, a PAS assemblyman retracted a claim he made in the state assembly here earlier that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim is one of the richest politicians in the world.
Mohd Yusni Mat Piah (PN-Penaga) admitted that the source on which he based his claims might not have been credible.
He then apologised after Speaker Datuk Seri Law Choo Kiang questioned him about his statement on Anwar.
“I retract my statement regarding the Prime Minister (Anwar) on the ranking of world leaders and apologise to all members.
“What I mentioned earlier cannot be used,” Mohd Yusni, who is from PAS, said during the state assembly sitting today.
Law raised that the United Kingdom-based website Mohd Yusni had quoted said it did not guarantee the accuracy of its report.
Law said Anwar’s wealth would not place him among the wealthiest globally or even in his birth state of Penang.
“As a second-term assemblyman, you (Mohd Yusni) should know better than to share inaccurate information,” he said.
Law said that despite his deputy speaker Azrul Mahathir Aziz instructing Mohd Yusni to retract the claim and apologise, the assemblyman resisted, causing footage of his debate to go viral.
“We are responsible for upholding the principles of integrity, dignity and decorum in this assembly.
“Do not quote articles that are not credible and do not make personal attacks in a manner to slander our Prime Minister,” he said.
On Tuesday, Mohd Yusni claimed during his 2025 state budget debate that the country had rich politicians like Anwar when people were living from hand to mouth.
Mohd Yusni cited a United Kingdom-based financial website that he said had ranked Anwar as the 17th richest politician in the world.
He was then told by backbenchers and the deputy speaker to retract the statement but said he was willing to face the assembly’s rights and privileges committee.
