KUALA LUMPUR – Berjaya Group founder Tan Sri Vincent Tan and Berjaya Land Bhd are demanding caretaker Kedah Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor issue a public apology, and RM200 million in compensation for his alleged defamatory remarks against the company.
In a statement today, Berjaya Land said that they have submitted a letter of demand to Sanusi on August 5, which outlines five specific demands.
In addition to a public apology to be published on platforms determined by legal representatives and RM200 million in compensation, Berjaya Land is also insisting that Sanusi retract all defamatory statements made about Tan and Berjaya Land.
Furthermore, they require an affirmation from Sanusi that he will not repeat or publish such statements in the future, and demand that Sanusi cease and desist from sharing any such statements in any manner.
The letter of demand also includes a warning that failure to comply with these demands by the end of the business day tomorrow will result in legal action.
The statement also reveals that Tan and Berjaya Land have filed a police report against Sanusi and several bloggers, including Murray Hunter, Badrul Hisham Shaharin, and Raja Petra Kamarudin, for posting similar statements.
The cases fall under Section 499 of the Penal Code for defamation, which carries a potential punishment of up to two years’ imprisonment or a fine, or both, upon conviction, the company noted.
Sanusi allegedly defamed the company when he spoke about the RM700 million river-widening project, known as the Selangor Maritime Gateway SMG, during a Perikatan political tour on August 2.
Among other things, Sanusi referred to Tan as the “tauke” or boss of the caretaker Selangor Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari and claimed that Berjaya Land had received a 600-acre land in Selangor, worth RM10 billion, for free.
In a statement on August 4, Berjaya Land Group CEO Syed Ali Shahul Hameed described Sanusi’s statement as “false, malicious, completely without merit, and politically motivated”.
“We feel it is essential to clarify the facts by providing accurate and verified information,” he said.
The group added that Sanusi’s statements were made “recklessly” and “maliciously”, with an evident intention to tarnish Berjaya Land’s reputation and undermine their commitment, as well as that of the state government. – August 7, 2023