Anwar issues letter of demand for apology from Baling MP

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has filed a letter of demand against Baling MP Hassan Saad, seeking an unconditional apology over an audio recording alleging that he is an Israeli agent.

Anwar, 75, filed the letter of demand through Messrs SN Nair & Partners yesterday, saying he would take legal action against Hassan if he failed to receive satisfactory feedback from him within three days.

According to the letter of demand, an audio recording containing Hassan’s allegations were uploaded on Twitter under the name Mohd Ropi Mat Sin.

When contacted, Anwar’s lawyer SN Nair confirmed the matter, adding that the audio recording was mala fide and untrue, false and aimed at humiliating Anwar publicly.

He said the audio recording had been retweeted by a Twitter user with the name "Pemikir Malaysia" and was viewed over 431,500 times, elicited over 4,800 reactions. It had also been shared over 3,300 times as of the date that the letter was issued.

Nair said the words also implied that Anwar had abused his power as an MP, was a liar and unethical, and had betrayed the people’s mandate.

He said that Anwar’s appointment as the 10th prime minister had received the consent of Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah in accordance with the Federal Constitution following a special meeting of the Malay rulers on Nov 24.

The letter said Hassan did not deny the matter even after the audio recording went viral on Twitter and other social media channels.

"If Hassan denies saying those words and the audio recording, we have been instructed by our client to seek public and written confirmation that Hassan did not utter or publish such slander.

"Our client also seeks a retraction and an unconditional apology from Hassan to not repeat such slander," the letter said.

Anwar is also planning to seek damages based on Hassan’s actions.