THE ongoing controversy involving Selangor Menteri Besar (MB) Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari and his Kedah counterpart Datuk Seri Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor has escalated as Amirudin files a defamation lawsuit against Sanusi over allegations related to a river cleaning project scandal.
The lawsuit was filed at the Shah Alam High Court, with copies of the cause papers already served on the defendant.
Amirudin’s legal team had previously sent a letter of demand to Sanusi on Aug 9, requesting an apology within 48 hours and a payment of RM10 mil in damages. The allegation revolves around a supposed scandal involving tycoon Tan Sri Vincent Tan and the Sungai Klang river cleaning project. This project, reportedly valued at RM10 bil has attracted considerable attention.
During a speech at the ‘Jelajah Mega PN Best Sayangi Kedah Sejahtera’ event in Jitra’s Dataran Darul Aman, Sanusi allegedly implicated Amirudin in the scandal with Tan.
In addition to Amirudin’s lawsuit, Tan himself had initiated a similar defamation action against Sanusi.
The statement of claim in Amirudin’s lawsuit asserts that Sanusi ignored a legal letter from Amirudin’s camp, which demanded a retraction of the scandalous allegation and an apology for the speech made during the state election campaign on Aug 2.
Moreover, Amirudin contends that the speech insinuated that he had misused his power as Selangor MB to engage in corrupt activities linked to the Selangor Maritime Gateway Project (SMG Project).
Amirudin further alleged that the implication made by Sanusi’s speech was that he had facilitated the allocation of 242.8 hectares of state land worth RM10 bil to Tan or his company Berjaya Land Bhd without proper compensation.
Furthermore, Amirudin argued that the Kedah MB negligently made the politically motivated false allegation to tarnish his reputation ahead of the state elections on Aug 12.
“The defamatory statements and republications of the defamatory statements resulted in the plaintiff being widely ridiculed by members of the public as ‘cokia‘,” Malaysiakini quoted Amirudin as saying.
When contacted by Malaysiakini, Sanusi’s counsel Yusfarizal Yusoff confirmed that they had been served copies of the lawsuit. – Aug 31, 2023
Main photo credit: Free Malaysia Today
