The actor-director says he couldn't believe the accusations made against him. Photo: Bernama
Mat Kilau director Syamsul Yusof asserts that he never hit his first wife Puteri Sarah Liyana as she had claimed in court.
He added that he couldn't believe Puteri Sarah would say something like that about him.
“She has slandered me, saying I hit her and that I don't provide financial support,” the 38-year-old told the media.
“I was stunned when she made that claim. Maybe she hated me at that moment, but to that extent?”
He said this at a press meet in Kuala Lumpur on Wednesday (March 22) attended by mStar, The Star's Malay portal.
“She knows I have never hit her, not even once. Apparently, my mother saved her. Was my mother Hulk at that moment?” he said.
He reasoned that he has many female relatives and it's not something that he would do.
According to him, the abuse claim is one of the reasons he decided to file a nusyuz (disobedience) application on Tuesday against Puteri Sarah.
He also claimed that Puteri Sarah had often contacted her ex-boyfriend who is a married man, which disrupted the marriage.
“Some family members called me and admitted (the physical violence) never happened.
“I have a daughter, mother, sister and wives whom I love and respect. I do not want to make the situation worse, but I feel compelled to explain,” the director said.
He added that he had asked Puteri Sarah many times to come back and discuss the matter with him, but she had refused.
“I called her to talk about our marital issues. I want to ask her what she wants, and to talk, and not get a divorce right away. Unfortunately, when I contacted her, she just wants to be let go, saying that she has someone else,” he said.
On Jan 6, Syamsul revealed that he married Ira Kazar in Thailand, and that she is his second wife.
On Jan 16, Puteri Sarah filed for divorce from Syamsul on the grounds that there was no more understanding between them, and that they could no longer live together as husband and wife according to the Syariah law.
On March 7, Syamsul had objected to Puteri Sarah's divorce application and stated through his lawyer that he felt there was still hope for the two of them to reconcile.
On Tuesday, Syamsul filed a nusyuz (disobedient) application at the Gombak Timur Syariah Lower Court against his wife.
On Wednesday, Puteri Sarah filed a full custody (hadanah) claim for her two children, aged six and four, at the Syariah High Court at Kuala Lumpur.
Syamsul apparently added: “Sarah, don't worry about the children. I am not a cruel father. I will never take the children away from their own mother.”
