KUALA LUMPUR: A High Court heard that Opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim talked over the phone with Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Anifah Aman over the deputy prime minister's post after the 12th general election.
Anifah's counsel, Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah, said during cross-examination that his client was offered the post during the conversation between May and August, 2008.
Anwar, 67, later explained that he was in Hong Kong attending a conference at that time when his friend Tony Voon passed the handphone, saying that Anifah wanted to speak to him.
"The conversation was between a good friend but I did not offer him (Anifah) the position of deputy prime minister," Anwar said when replying to a question by Muhammad Shafee.
To another question whether the offer was made because it was urgent, Anwar replied: "I do not make such a careless mistake. It is not feasible to offer a person in a 10-minute conversation".
Earlier, he testified that he certainly did not consider the defendant for the DPM's post.
"It was very presumptuous of the defendant," he said.
Anwar said in fact, it was Anifah who was disgruntled and dissapointed with then Prime Minister Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi for not making him a full minister.
He said it was simply ridiculous to make an offer in one phone call.
"He (Anifah) had only been offered the post of deputy Transport Minister but he refused the appointment," Anwar said in his defamation suit filed against Anifah.
On May 27, 2009, Anwar sued Anifah in his personal and official capacities and the Government, claiming that the minister had linked his name to an alleged offer of a top Cabinet post at the State Department in Washington during a joint press conference with US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on May 16.
Anwar claimed that the words uttered by Anifah that day implied that he was a dishonest person.
On Jan 6, 2011, a High Court had struck out the suit following an application by Anifah and the Government.
The Court of Appeal had on Jan 25, 2013, allowed Anwar's appeal to reinstate the suit against Anifah in the latter's personal capacity.
The appellate court, however, dismissed Anwar's appeal to reinstate his suit against Anifah in his official capacity as Foreign Minister and also against the Government.
In his suit, Anwar claimed that he suffered considerable distress, anxiety and embarrassment, entitling him to aggravated and exemplary damages.
Anwar is also applying to get an injunction to restrain Anifah from further uttering, writing or publishing the said words.
The trial before Judicial Commissioner Siti Khadijah S.Hassan Badjenid continues tomorrow. Anwar was represented by counsel Razlan Hadri Zulkifli.
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