KUALA LUMPUR: Caretaker Selangor Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari said the lawsuit against caretaker Kedah Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Muhammad Sanusi Md Noor was not because he could not stand criticism, but was aimed at clearing his name as a result of being slandered.
He said that the issue raised by Sanusi related to the river cleaning project in the Klang River had actually been answered many times in the Selangor State Assembly and the issue was being 'recycled' for the state election.
Amirudin said Sanusi only dared to raise the matter because he did not know what was happening in Selangor while Pas representatives in Selangor did not play up this issue in their campaign as they were aware of the actual situation.
"Obviously PN (Perikatan Nasional) is desperate to create waves in Selangor and use defamation by making baseless allegations and accusing me of receiving allowances from the project.
"It is not that I can't stand the criticism but this is slander and baseless allegations that have been answered many times. So Sanusi waits for my lawyer's letter tomorrow or at the latest this Thursday and I hope they don't run from the lawsuit," he said at a press conference at the Gombak constituency service centre, here, today.
Last Friday, Amirudin filed a lawsuit against Sanusi following his speech at the PN BEST Mega Tour at Dataran Darul Aman in Jitra, Kedah.
In the speech, Sanusi who is also the PN election director reportedly claimed that the founder of Berjaya Group, Vincent Tan wanted to conduct a river project worth RM10 billion by obtaining 600 acres of land in the state.
Sanusi accused the involvement of a company owned by the Selangor Menteri Besar (Incorporation) for the project in the Klang River which he claimed caused the Selangor government to lose about RM180 million.
Following that, last Saturday, Tan filed a lawsuit against Sanusi demanding compensation of RM200 million.
The company said in a statement that a letter of demand had been sent to Sanusi on Saturday and demanded that he withdraw the statement unconditionally.
The company also demanded that Sanusi apologise publicly, with a guarantee not to repeat the accusations and pay the compensation.
At the same time, Tan and Berjaya Land also filed a police report against Sanusi and several individuals such as blogger Murray Hunter, Badrul Hisham Shaharin (better known as Chegubard), and Raja Petra Kamarudin for publishing defamatory statements against the Selangor Maritime Gate Project (SMG).
Amirudin, who is also the Selangor Pakatan Harapan (PH) chairman, also criticised Badrul Hisham's claim that the suit was a move to 'silence' and divert the issue of irregularities involving the state government.
He said, the action of the suit was made because the issues raised were baseless, while the matter had already been answered inside and outside the State Legislative Assembly and fact it was now an open document.
"A person without dignity like this Che'gu Bard should not be entertained because he has no dignity and integrity.
"I don't consider any accusation from Che'gu Bard to be serious because he only works with the people who hire him... this (suit) is not to keep quiet, we sue when you have done something wrong, and this (allegation) is not the first time.