Anwar's ex-aide says 'vindicated' by court decision in defamation suit

A former research assistant of PKR chief Anwar Ibrahim today welcomed the court decision ordering the politician's press secretary to pay him costs of RM200,000 in a defamation suit over an alleged assault, calling it a step towards proving his claims of what had transpired.

Muhammed Yusoff Rawther said the decision of the Shah Alam Sessions Court also ordering Tunku Nashrul Tunku Abaidah to issue him a public apology had cleared his name and vindicated him from what he described as "pernicious and malicious statements" from Anwar's office. 

"I believe the truth always prevails. Regardless of how low Anwar's office stooped out of desperation to discredit me, I've only stuck to telling the truth, as I feel life is easier that way," he said in a statement today. 

Nashrul was told to apologise to Yusoff and pay him costs over a media statement in 2019, where he denied an assault incident which the latter claimed had taken place at Anwar's office.

The remarks were made in the wake of a police report lodged by Yusoff, claiming that he was physically attacked by Anwar's political secretary, Farhash Wafa Salvador Rizal Mubarak.

Yusoff also filed a separate civil suit against Farhash, claiming compensation for injuries sustained after the alleged assault.

Yusoff, who worked at Anwar’s bungalow office in Bukit Gasing, Petaling Jaya, also filed a suit against the PKR president accusing him of sexually assaulting him some time in October 2018, days before the opposition leader won the Port Dickson by-election. 

Yusoff claimed to have suffered serious physical, psychological and social trauma as a result of the incident. The case is still pending in court.