PRIME Minister Anwar Ibrahim has obtained an ex-parte interim injunction to stop caretaker Kedah Menteri Besar Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor from making any defamatory remarks related to the former’s defamation suit against the latter, filed in December last year.

The legal suit is over Sanusi’s remarks linking Anwar to alleged immoral behaviour, during the “PN Best Tambun Tour” event.

Anwar’s lawyer Sankara Nair said the injunction application was filed and heard yesterday before High Court judge Mahazan Mat Taib, who granted the said application. 

The sealed order was served on Sanusi’s solicitors today, Sankara said in a statement.

“The effect of the interim Injunction is that Sanusi is restrained from repeating, uttering and publishing statements at, inter alia, any ceramah, events, interviews, postings or publication in the media against the PM. 

“In the event he repeats the same and commits a breach of the terms of the injunction, a copy of which is hereby attached, it would amount to a contempt of court and he will be subjected to committal proceedings and be liable to damages,” said the lawyer.

Sankara also said the defamation suit was still pending hearing before the Alor Star High Court at a date to be determined by court. 

“Despite being fully aware of the pending suit and being represented by solicitors, Sanusi has obstinately and recalcitrantly pursued in repeating similar defamatory utterances and statements (as per the pending suit), in relation to Anwar’s previous criminal trials,” said Sankara.

He said Sanusi had repeated his remarks at two Perikatan Nasional (PN) ceramah – in Nilai, Negri Sembilan on March 18 and in Selayang, Selangor on July 11.

In his legal suit, Anwar alleged that on November 13 Sanusi gave an election speech in support of Tambun PN candidate Ahmad Faizal Azumu with hundreds of visitors in attendance.

Anwar said the speech was uploaded to Faizal’s Facebook page and received more than 88,000 views, 531 reactions, 58 shares and 384 comments.

The Pakatan Harapan (PH) chairman claimed that on November 14, defamatory statements from the video were quoted by Malaysiakini and the portal published an article in Bahasa Melayu and English.

According to Anwar, Sanusi accused the prime minister of obtaining a royal pardon through fraud while remaining not pardoned, that he had deceived the king and was a liar, untrustworthy, unethical and betrayed the people’s mandate.

Anwar claimed the statements were untrue, repulsive and malicious, and aimed at inciting the public and creating personal hatred towards him and PH.

Anwar said the statement caused him to be insulted, ridiculed by the community as well as damaging his image and good reputation as the chairman of PKR and PH, the MP for Tambun, not least as prime minister.

Anwar said he wrote to Sanusi on November 16, demanding Sanusi retract and apologise for his statement, but he refused. – July 31, 2023.