[ Laman Ehwal Semasa ReformIS ]
Date: 30 Aug 1999
Time: 01:59:04
Remote User: -
Malaysian court backs Mahathir in Anwar defamation suit
KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 30 (AFP) - A Malaysian court on Monday struck out a defamation suit brought by Anwar Ibrahim against Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, dealing a new legal blow to the ex-deputy premier as the first anniversary of his detention looms.
Anwar had sought 100 million ringgit (26 million dollars) in damages from his former mentor.
But Justice R.K. Nathan, sitting in the High Court, backed Mahathir's application to strike out the suit, saying it was frivolous, vexatious and an abuse of court process, the official Bernama news agency reported.
Anwar filed the suit in January, accusing the premier of falsely and maliciously accusing him of committing an immoral act.
Mahathir made his comments at a news conference last September. Anwar said Mahathir had graphically described the alleged sexual activities knowing they would be published locally and internationally.
Besides damages, interest and costs, Anwar also sought an injunction restraining Mahathir from making similar comments about him. He also filed a libel suit against the Malaysian newspaper, The Sun, for publishing the remarks.
Mahathir sacked Anwar in September last year amid a fall-out in policies and citing immorality. Anwar was sentenced to six years' jail in April for corruption and is now on trial again for sodomy.
In a 25-page judgment, Nathan said Anwar's claims were "obviously unsustainable" after considering issues raised by both parties.
Mahathir's remarks last September 22 were in response to calls to explain Anwar's dismissal and merely statements of facts that were already widely published, the judge said.
"This to my mind indicates a mind devoid of malice," he said.
Despite being briefed by police earlier, Mahathir did not make any public statement until the information had been widely published in local newspapers following the conviction of Anwar's adopted brother Sukma Darmawan and his Pakistani speechwriter Munawar Anees, the judge added.
Indonesia-born Sukma and Munawar were both sentenced to six months' jail on September 19 last year for engaging in sodomy with Anwar. The duo later appealed their conviction, saying police forced them to confess.