Suing for defamation, Anwar denies offering Anifah DPM job
Ida Lim, Malay Mail Online
Barisan Nasional’s (BN) Datuk Seri Anifah Aman had initiated contact and asked to join Pakatan Rakyat (PR) if there were enough defections from Sabah, Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim told the High Court today.
In his defamation suit against the Sabah federal lawmaker, Anwar testified that he had never offered Anifah the post of deputy prime minister should PR win control of Putrajaya.
“I did not make any offer to him and certainly did not consider him for the Deputy Prime Minister post. It is simply ridiculous to make an offer in one phone call,” Anwar said in his witness statement that was tendered to the court.
In the RM100 million suit filed on May 27, 2009, Anwar accused Anifah of defaming him by alleging he had tempted the Kimanis MP to cross over from BN by offering a senior government position akin to the post of deputy prime minister.
The alleged defamatory remarks were made by Anifah in a May 14, 2009 joint press conference with US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in Washington DC, Anwar claimed.
