KUALA LUMPUR – Bersatu Youth chief Wan Ahmad Fayhsal Wan Ahmad Kamal has said he remains resolute and undeterred by the RM10-million suit filed by the former political secretary to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, Datuk Farhash Wafa Salvador Rizal Mubarak.
In a statement, Wan Fayhsal brushed aside the suit as “nothing new” as he had appointed legal representation and submitted his defence to the court on February 19.
The Machang MP said he was confident that his defence would expose the RM10-million claim as groundless, categorising it as an attempt to stifle opposition voices through the civil court system.
“This suit will not affect my focus and concentration from continuing to speak about the issues of the people and public interest,” he said.
He raised questions about whether the coverage was part of a broader strategy to intimidate and silence critics of the government.
A writ of summons and statement of claim were filed on January 22 in the high court by law firm Messrs Ahmad Deniel, Ruben & Co. Farhash accused Wan Fayhsal of making defamatory statements about him on November 14, 2023.
Farhash, the plaintiff, accused the Bersatu lawmaker of giving the impression that Farhash colluded with an individual called “Datuk Botak” to secure support for the prime minister in Parliament through bribery and threats to other MPs.
Aside from the compensatory damages totalling RM10 million, he is also seeking compensation for general, severe and exemplary damages from Wan Fayhsal.
It was previously reported that the Bersatu Youth chief had identified two people who he claimed allegedly enticed opposition MPs to support Anwar as prime minister: Farhash and a “Datuk Botak.”
He claimed the duo appeared in a video that was circulating on Facebook and TikTok, with “Datuk Botak” bringing and threatening MPs to support Anwar.
Wan Fayhsal also said the video explained Farhash’s role in the matter.
Following this, the former PKR leader Farhash lodged a police report and subsequently filed a defamation suit. – March 8, 2024