KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim today issued a letter of demand to Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin over a claim that the former had received RM15 million from Selangor state government as its economic adviser.
Muhyiddin, who is the Perikatan Nasional (PN) chairman, has three days to respond to the letter, or he will face a lawsuit.
Anwar in the letter claimed that Muhyiddin's remarks made during PN's grand finale ceramah for 15th General Election in Kedah was defamatory against him.
The former prime minister's remarks were published on TikTok application which had garnered more than one million views, shared 2,169 times, liked 21,400 times, and commented on 6,061 times.
Anwar claimed the remarks, among others depicted him as a sinner, a liar, greedy and an unethical person as well as abused his position as a parliamentarian.
The video clips claimed that Anwar was paid RM15 million annually when he was the Selangor economic adviser.
"This claim had been refuted by the Selangor state government via official press statement and was published by several news agencies.
"The official statement has unequivocally strengthened Anwar's denial against Muhyiddin's remark.
"Our client demands an unconditional apology, in a manner that will be approved by us, in papers and media of our client's choice," said the letter.
Anwar is also seeking compensation over the serious injury to his reputation.
Earlier, it was reported that Selangor menteri besar political secretary Juwairiya Zulkifli said Muhyiddin's allegation had been repeatedly denied in the past, including in the official answer of the Selangor menteri besar at the time - the late Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim - at the Selangor state assembly.
"During the period Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim was Selangor's Economic Adviser, he was only given a symbolic salary of RM1 a year.
"The salary had not been paid to him since the date of appointment. He did not receive any allowances or privileges other than the RM1 salary," she said.
Juwairiya, who was also Bukit Melawati assemblyman, said the matter had also been clearly recorded in the Selangor state assembly's hansard.