PRIME Minister Ibrahim has applied for a judgment in default against Pendang MP Awang Solahuddin Hashim for not filing a defence statement in response to the former’s defamation suit within the stipulated period.

Anwar, 75, filed the suit against Awang Solahuddin on March 3 over the latter’s defamatory remarks about the prime minister at the parliament lobby.

Lawyer S.N. Nair, representing Anwar, said the writ of summons was served on Awang Solahuddin as the defendant on March 3, and that he should have filed a statement of defence by March 21.

“During the case management before High Court deputy registrar Aisyaf Falina Abdullah today, we informed the court about the failure of the defendant to file a statement of defence within the stipulated time, and applied for a judgment in default to be recorded against the defendant.

“After recording our objection, the deputy registrar ordered the matter be brought before the (judge) for further action. However, the date of case management will be set later,” said Nair when contacted today.

Nair said though his client raised objections, and the court had not given any deadline extension or instruction to the defendant, the defendant’s lawyer filed the statement of defence today.

Anwar claimed Awang Solahuddin uttered defamatory remarks against him at a press conference at the parliament lobby when attending a Dewan Rakyat sitting on February 21. 

He said the remarks, which were recorded in audio and video formats, had been made public.

“On Feb 21, 2023, the defamatory remarks from the audio and video footage were published or caused to be published by the defendant on TikTok using the account name @asriasri64chanel,” he said in his statement of claim.

The Tambun MP said the MalaysiaKini portal had on the same day republished part of the defamatory remarks in two of its articles in Malay and English titled “MP PAS: Sikap pendendam Anwar lebih teruk daripada Mahathir” and “Why no LCS charges, MP asks ‘more vindictive than Mahathir’ PM”.

Anwar said the remarks implied he is vindictive and vengeful, and had abused his power as prime minister and finance minister by interfering, disrupting and arbitrarily instructing Malaysian law enforcers and prosecutors to fuel his own political agenda.

He claimed Awang Solahuddin had deliberately and maliciously uttered and published the defamatory remarks to incite the public and create personal hatred against him. – Bernama, April 4, 2023.