Farhash Sues Rafizi For Defamation Demands Rm10m

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Controversial businessperson Farhash Wafa Salvador Rizal Mubarak has sued Pandan MP Rafizi Ramli for defamation over two videos that the latter published on social media, implicating him.
Court papers revealed that the lawsuit was filed on Oct 10 through Messrs Ahmad Deniel, Ruben & Co, after Rafizi failed to tender an apology to Farhash (above, right) over the allegedly defamatory videos.
The lawsuit stated two videos: one published on July 25, titled “Tangani isu Farhash, elak jadi beban lebih besar kepada kerajaan” (Address the Farhash issue to avoid it becoming a bigger burden to the government), and another released on Aug 20, titled “Bukan Ismail Sabri, Bukan KJ” (Not Ismail Sabri, Not KJ).
The first video relates to claims linking Farhash to the Sabah mining licence scandal. In the second, Rafizi revealed that a whistleblower meeting he had attended shortly before his son was attacked in August had centred on Farhash.
Rafizi suggested that the assault, in which his 12-year-old son was stabbed with a syringe in a Putrajaya mall car park, may have been a direct consequence of that meeting. Farhash, however, dismissed allegations linking him to the attack as “crazy”.
In his lawsuit, Farhash is seeking RM10 million in general damages, along with aggravated, exemplary, and punitive damages, legal costs, and an injunction to restrain Rafizi from further publishing or disseminating similar statements about him.
‘Reckless, malicious’
Farhash claimed that Rafizi’s remarks falsely implied he was involved in wrongdoing, corruption, and political manipulation, portraying him as untrustworthy and unethical, with the intent of tarnishing his reputation and lowering him in public esteem.
He contended that the videos were widely viewed and shared on social media, causing confusion among the public and significant harm to his credibility as a businessperson and public figure.
The statement of claim asserts that Rafizi’s remarks were untrue, baseless and motivated by malice, and that the publications were made “recklessly and without due regard for the truth.”
Farhash, who previously served as political secretary to Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim when the latter was opposition leader, maintains that Rafizi’s statements have caused serious reputational damage and seeks to hold him accountable through the court.
MACC clears Farhash
In September, the MACC cleared Farhash of any alleged links to the Sabah mining scandal after investigations revealed that no exploration licence had been issued to any company the businessperson owned.
MACC chief commissioner Azam Baki told a press conference that investigation papers were submitted to the Attorney-General’s Chambers, which then determined that no charges could be brought against any party.
MACC chief commissioner Azam BakiAzam clarified that the company linked to Farhash had, in March 2023, applied for a mineral exploration licence to Sabah Mineral Management Sdn Bhd, but had failed to submit the requested documents.
“Therefore, in reality, no exploration was ever carried out because the documents were not supplied," he added.
The Sabah land authority also denied that it received any application for a mineral prospecting licence from Bumi Suria. - Mkini

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