SHAH ALAM, October 3 – Datuk Seri Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor informed the High Court here that he has a moral and social responsibility to expose issues of mismanagement in the administration of Pakatan Harapan (PH) and Barisan Nasional (BN) politicians. The Kedah Chief Minister made this statement in response to a lawsuit filed by Tan Sri Vincent Tan Chee Yioun, Founder of Berjaya Corporation Berhad, and Berjaya Land Berhad. Through a defense statement filed on September 29, he explained that as an opposition politician and community leader.
He only exercised his freedom of speech to raise issues of governance and mismanagement based on substantive facts. As such, the Jerai State Assemblyman clarified that he did not make any direct or indirect references to Vincent, who is also an Advisor to Berjaya, as a corrupt businessman. Furthermore, the 49-year-old PAS leader pointed out that there were no allegations made against Berjaya, the first plaintiff, and Vincent, the second plaintiff, regarding illegal activities, breaking the law, deceiving the people of Selangor, or engaging in dishonest practices.
“The plaintiffs also did not suffer any losses as the SMG Project is still ongoing,” said the Director of Pakatan Nasional’s Election Bureau. On August 8, Vincent and Berjaya filed a lawsuit related to Sanusi’s statement about the Selangor Maritime Gateway (SMG) Project during his speech at a campaign event, ‘Jelajah Mega PN Best,’ in Dataran Darulaman, Jitra, Kedah on August 2. In their statement of claim, Vincent alleged that Sanusi’s speech, broadcasted live and republished, specifically and directly referred to him by mentioning his name throughout the speech.
Berjaya also stated that, although there were no specific references to the company, the statements could be understood as referring to the company. According to Vincent, the defamatory statement implied that he and the company were corrupt and cronies of Selangor Menteri Besar, Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari, and that they received 600 hectares of land for free. The plaintiffs claimed that this meant they provided direct or indirect benefits to the Selangor Menteri Besar and the state government in return for the free land. Furthermore, they alleged that the statement meant that they caused the Selangor Government to incur losses and spend at least RM180 million due to the alleged free land.
The plaintiffs also claimed that this meant they and related companies had a combined income of RM33.3 billion. Vincent and Berjaya argued that the defamatory statement would damage and cause financial loss to 67,367 shareholders in Berjaya Corporation (BCorp) and 7,053 shareholders in the related company. According to them, it could damage their reputation in the business world, both domestically and internationally, and potentially result in the loss of millions of ringgit in profits. For the record, Sanusi currently faces several court cases and lawsuits.
On July 17, he was charged in two Selayang Sessions Courts with two counts of sedition related to his speech linking the appointment of the Selangor Menteri Besar and the formation of a Unity Government. In addition, Sanusi also faces legal action from Selangor Menteri Besar, Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari, related to defamatory statements made during the Majlis Jelajah Mega PN BEST ‘Sayangi Kedah Sejahtera’ event in Dataran Darul Aman, Jitra in Kedah. Sanusi alleged that Amirudin was also involved in a scandal with the founder of the Berjaya Group, Tan Sri Vincent Tan, in the Klang River cleaning project.
