Anwar Ibrahim sues Mazlan Ismail, TV3, Utusan for defamation

KUALA LUMPUR: Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim (pic) is suing former Barisan Nasional candidate for Permatang Pauh in the 2013 general election and two others for implying that he had bribed judiciary and the Attorney-General's Chambers.

Anwar said Dr Mazlan Ismail had falsely and maliciously caused the defamatory statements to be published in the 8pm Buletin Utama broadcast over TV3 on Aug 2, 2013.

He said in the general election, Mazlan lost the parliament seat by 11,721 votes.

Anwar, former Opposition leader who is serving a five-year jail term for sodomy, said the statements were republished by Sistem Televisyen Malaysia Bhd on the same day without verifying its contents which amounts to irresponsible journalism.

He said the statements were published and distributed by Utusan Melayu (M) Bhd in its daily Utusan Malaysia on Aug 3, 2013.

The former Opposition leader filed the claims at the High Court civil registry through his lawyer Sangeet Kaur Deo on Thursday.

In the statement, he had named Dr Mazlan, Sistem Televisyen Malaysia and Utusan Melayu as defendants.

"We will served a copy of the claim to Dr Mazlan and two other defendants soon," Sangeet said.

Anwar said the words implied that he is a person who is not ethical or professional, dishonest, a liar and immoral.

He said the words meant that he is a person who commits acts which are criminal in nature which could be prosecuted, negligent and not fit to hold a public position.

He said that due to the broadcasting and publication of the defamatory statements by the defendants, he was seriously defamed and brought  to contempt and public ridicule and as a result he suffered losses and damages.

He is seeking for general, aggravated and exemplary damages and an injunction to prohibit the defendants from repeating the republication of the defamatory statements.