Anwar won't file suit against Yusoff Rawther

PETALING JAYA: Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim will not be filing a defamation suit against his former research assistant Muhammed Yusoff Rawther, who claimed the PKR president had outraged his modesty.

Anwar’s lawyer Ramkarpal Singh confirmed that his client would not be suing Muhammed Yusoff over various allegations contained in a Statutory Declaration (SD).

Ramkarpal said he had advised Anwar that it was no longer necessary to pursue the suit as the Solicitor-General had cleared his good name.

In November last year, Muhammed Yusoff alleged via the SD that Anwar had outraged his modesty on Oct 2,2018.

He also lodged a police report on Dec 7.

Ramkarpal said apart from clearing his name, Anwar had no interest in monetary compensation or damages which may be awarded by the court.

“As such, there is no longer any purpose in filing the defamation suit, which would take a considerable amount of time and involve unnecessary costs, ” he added.

Solicitor-General Datuk Engku Nor Faizah Engku Atek had issued a statement recently that there was insufficient evidence to prosecute on the reports lodged.

Anwar had recently said he was pressing ahead with the lawsuit and Muhammed Yusoff had challenged him to make good on his threat to sue him.

Meanwhile, Ramkarpal noted that Anwar’s political secretary Farhash Wafa Salvador Rizal Mubarak had filed an unrelated defamation suit against Muhammed Yusoff last Friday.

Farhash’s suit was in relation to alleged defamatory remarks made by Muhammed Yusoff during a press conference on Dec 4 last year.

Farhash was reportedly seeking an injunction to stop him from repeating claims implying that he was a violent person.

In an immediate response, Muhammed Yusoff said he welcomed the defamation suit.

“Although my lawyer informed me that he has yet to receive it, I will vigorously defend any and all allegations against me and therefore, I welcome this suit, ” he said in a statement.

Muhammed Yusoff had claimed that Farhash had assaulted him in May last year.