Sanusi gives PKR's Saifuddin 7 days to apologise over minerals theft, funds abuse claims

Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor has given Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail seven days to apologise for accusing the Kedah menteri besar of rare earth theft and the misappropriation of road maintenance funds.

In a letter of demand sent through his lawyers, Sanusi said Saifuddin's claims were made on two occasions, describing them as political attacks meant to help Pakatan Harapan and Barisan Nasional ahead of the state polls next month.

"You chose to sensationalise this matter by making allegations to the public without any checks and without any documentary evidence that is valid, complete and accurate from a named and reliable source.

"Therefore, it is clear that your actions are malicious without any intention to seek truth and clarification from our client about the real facts," the letter said, adding that the PKR leader must propose a reasonable amount of damages to be paid to Sanusi.

On July 15, Saifuddin claimed that Sanusi had been slapped with a compund of RM500,000 for the theft of rare earth in Sik, Kedah last year.

"We appointed a menteri besar to manage the state, not to be a thief," Saifuddin told a ceramah in Guar Chempedak, Kedah, three days before scores of policemen swooped down on a hotel in Kuala Lumpur in the wee hours of the morning to arrest Sanusi.

Sanusi was charged with sedition hours later. 

Kedah Land and Mines Office director Md Shuhaime Abd Rahman strongly denied Saifuddin's claim, saying the compound was for Menteri Besar Inc and not Sanusi.

He said the state company was fined in its capacity as the owner of a forest reserve area in Sik, where his office had detained and fined an individual for the theft of minerals.

Shuhaime also said that Sanusi had not invoked his powers to exempt the state company from paying the fine.

Saifuddin had also accused Sanusi of misappropriating funds for the Malaysian Road Records Information System, or Marris, adding that the state administration was rife with problems of governance and low revenue.

"The revenue collection is low because he plays politics, he does not administer the state," Saifuddin said.

Sanusi said Saifuddin's accusations were "lies, malicious accusations and distortions of facts which are fabricated based on a baseless version of the facts, and not supported by any documentary proof and/or evidence that are legitimate, complete and/or accurate".

He added that Saifuddin had every opportunity to clarify with Sanusi but chose not to do so.