Saifuddin Stands By Statement Over Rare Earth Theft Claims

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Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail is standing by his statement concerning allegations linking caretaker Kedah menteri besar Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor and the theft of rare earth elements in Bukit Enggang, Sik.
The PKR secretary-secretary general made this assertion in his letter dated today in response to Sanusi’s letter of demand, a precursor to a defamation suit if the former does not abide by his demands.
According to the letter sighted by Malaysiakini, Saifuddin’s legal team from the law firm of Nav & Co asserted that their client stands by "the sting of his statements".
“Our client denies that the statements are defamatory or capable of bearing any defamatory implications.
“Our client has no intention of litigating this matter through correspondence.
“We have instructions to accept service of legal process,” the minister’s lawyers said.
When contacted by Malaysiakini, Sanusi's counsel Wan Rohimi Wan Daud said the letter of response from Saifuddin's lawyers does not disclose any reasonable explanation or any explanation at all.
"Our instructions is to proceed with the filing of the (defamation) suit (at the civil court)," Wan Rohimi said, adding they will file the civil action as soon as possible.
Letter of demand
On July 21, Sanusi reportedly said his lawyers will send a letter of demand to Saifuddin over alleged defamation over the REE theft and the issue of RM1.6 billion funding from the Malaysian Road Record Information System (Marris).
“My lawyers have emailed him tonight (July 21); tomorrow we will serve the letter and we will sue if he does not answer within the set time.
“He accused me of being a thief of REE and using RM1.6 billion of Marris funding… for something else.
“He is piling all the things previous Umno ministers had done on my head when I do not know anything,” Sanusi said in his speech at a solidarity event for him in Sik, Kedah, the night before.
Sanusi had first announced his intention to sue Saifuddin over the two issues on July 16.
Saifuddin, the Kedah Development Action Council chairperson, claimed he did not disclose the theft of the REE to tarnish Sanusi’s image but rather to show that there is an issue of administrative malpractice.
Saifuddin also previously claimed that Sanusi had used funds from Marris for road maintenance for other development purposes. - Mkini

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