Amirudin Shari, the Menteri Besar of Selangor, has initiated a defamation lawsuit against his Kedah counterpart, Sanusi Nor. This legal action comes in response to Sanusi’s allegations connecting Amirudin to a controversy concerning the Sungai Klang river cleaning project. The lawsuit, filed in the High Court at Shah Alam, follows Sanusi’s claim during a ceramah that Amirudin planned to allocate 600ha of land to businessman Vincent Tan for a RM10 billion development. The legal tussle intensifies as both parties seek resolution over alleged politically motivated false statements.
Amirudin Sues Sanusi for Defamation
Amirudin Shari, the Selangor Menteri Besar, has taken a resolute step by filing a defamation lawsuit against Sanusi Nor, the counterpart from Kedah. The legal action was prompted by remarks made by Sanusi, linking Amirudin to a contentious issue involving the Sungai Klang river cleaning project. According to official documents disclosed recently, Amirudin submitted the defamation suit at the High Court located in Shah Alam. The genesis of this legal clash can be traced back to a public ceramah organized by Perikatan Nasional, where Sanusi alleged that Amirudin intended to allocate 600 hectares of land to businessman Vincent Tan for a sprawling RM10 billion project.
Clash of Claims: Allegations and Demands
The legal dispute escalated after Amirudin sent a letter of demand to Sanusi on August 9, seeking an apology within 48 hours and RM10 million in damages. Amirudin’s legal team, in response, issued a separate letter demanding an apology from Sanusi and claiming RM200 million in damages. Amirudin’s assertion centers around the implication that he exploited his authority to facilitate the transfer of 242.8 hectares of state land valued at RM10 billion to Tan’s company, Berjaya Land Berhad. Furthermore, Amirudin contends that Sanusi’s statement, made ahead of the state elections on August 12, was a politically driven false accusation intended to tarnish his reputation.
Political Motives and Counterclaims
Amid this legal wrangle, Amirudin maintains that Sanusi’s actions are indicative of desperation to divert attention from allegations linking him to illicit rare earth elements (REE) mining activities in Kedah. Amirudin posits that Sanusi’s claims regarding Berjaya Group were a strategic maneuver. Notably, earlier this month, Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail presented photographic evidence linking Sanusi to a Chinese national purportedly associated with MBI Kedah, a company implicated in REE mining.
The defamation lawsuit sets the stage for a legal battle that delves into political rivalries, allegations, and reputational damage, intensifying the ongoing discourse surrounding the respective Menteri Besars and their alleged connections to controversial matters.