Anina sues six Pribumi members for defamation

(The Star) – Anina Saadudin said she has filed a defamation suit against six Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia members for allegedly smearing her name.

She did not name them, but said that Pribumi chairman and former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad was not among the six.

“Through my lawyers, I’ve filed a defamation suit at the Shah Alam Sessions Court on Oct 12 to clear my name,” said the Pribumi founding member who has since quit.

“The suit is against six Pribumi leaders, four of whom are Langkawi Pribumi leaders,” she told reporters here Friday.

Dr Mahathir also chairs the Langkawi Pribumi division.

According to Anina, the six had accused her of accepting a RM7mil bribe from Umno to rejoin the party.

She said her lawyers sent a letter of demand to the six individuals three weeks ago, but did not receive any response.

When asked about her demands, she said they were for “an amount suitable with their positions in the party”.

In May, Langkawi Pribumi division secretary Puteri Fataharyati Harun, in a Facebook post, described Anina as “desperate” for allegedly receiving RM7mil in bribes from Umno.

Anina said she had already lodged a report with the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) and the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) over the matter.

She also said she had previously reported the matter to Pribumi’s disciplinary council in August, but the party had taken no action.

“I’m very disappointed with Pribumi, particularly its disciplinary council. The Langkawi Pribumi leadership is still spreading allegations.

“This is very disheartening, as individuals with ill-intentions are not only tarnishing my credibility as a young politician, but also slandering Dr Mahathir, who is a prominent statesmen,” she said.

Anina, one of Pribumi’s seven founding members, announced her resignation on Sept 16, claiming that the party no longer practised the principles of justice, transparency and integrity in its administration.

Shortly after Anina’s resignation, Pribumi vice-president Datuk Hamidah Osman also announced her decision to leave the party.