Businessman Datuk Seri Farhash Wafa Salvador Rizal Mubarak has filed a RM10 million defamation suit against former economy minister Datuk Seri Rafizi Ramli over two videos posted on social media that allegedly linked him to the syringe attack on Rafizi’s son.
The lawsuit, filed on October 10, 2025, claims that Rafizi’s statements caused serious and lasting harm to Farhash’s reputation. The first video, titled “Tangani Isu Farhash Elak Jadi Beban Lebih Besar Pada Kerajaan” (“Handle the Farhash issue or risk it becoming a bigger burden to the government”), was released on July 25. The second, “Bukan Ismail Sabri, bukan KJ” (“Not Ismail Sabri or KJ”), came out on August 20 — shortly after the shocking syringe attack on Rafizi’s 12-year-old son in a Putrajaya shopping mall.
In the latter video, Rafizi hinted that the assault might have been linked to whistleblowers he had met the week before — individuals who allegedly provided information about “company transactions” involving Farhash. Although Rafizi stopped short of directly naming him, the insinuation was clear enough to spark public speculation.
Farhash, a former political secretary to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and now a prominent corporate figure, says the implication was devastating. He argues that Rafizi’s words caused “severe and lasting damage” to his business reputation, shaking investor confidence and eroding trust among business associates.
A Second Lawsuit — and a Pattern of Escalation
Rafizi is not the only one in Farhash’s legal crosshairs. The businessman has also filed a separate RM10 million defamation suit against the news portal MalaysiaNow, which published a July 21 exposé alleging that his company, Bumi Suria Sdn Bhd, had been granted a massive mining exploration licence in Sabah — covering more than 70,000 hectares, nearly three times the size of Kuala Lumpur.
The report, citing leaked documents and audio recordings, claimed that Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor personally chaired the meeting approving the licence just two weeks after Farhash and his partner took control of the company.
Following publication, MalaysiaNow journalists were summoned for police questioning — a move widely condemned as an act of intimidation. PAS secretary-general Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan called it “a worrying sign for press freedom.”
Farhash subsequently sued MalaysiaNow for defamation, insisting the report contained false and damaging allegations. However, the Shah Alam High Court later dismissed his application for an injunction to prevent further reporting, ruling that the portal’s defence was “not obviously untrue.”
The Syringe Attack and the Shadow of Implication
The syringe attack on Rafizi’s son remains unresolved. Two unidentified assailants allegedly followed Rafizi’s wife and son before stabbing the child with a syringe — an act that shocked the nation.
In his public response, Rafizi was quick to exonerate former prime minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob and former health minister Khairy Jamaluddin, stating explicitly that they had no involvement. Yet, notably, he did not extend the same clarity to Farhash — even though he had publicly mentioned meeting whistleblowers about Farhash’s companies just a week before the attack.
For many observers, that silence spoke volumes. If Rafizi truly believed that Farhash had no connection to the assault, why not say so? Even if unintentional, his omission suggested that he saw — or wanted the public to see — some connection between his whistleblower meeting and the attack on his son.
Farhash has dismissed the rumours as “ “Crazy,” saying he is being scapegoated because of his past ties to Anwar Ibrahim. As a board member of Apex Equity Holdings Bhd and Berjaya Construction Bhd, he insists that Rafizi’s remarks have tarnished his credibility in both political and corporate circles.
For what it’s worth, Farhash may have a point. The shadow of implication is sometimes more damaging than an accusation itself — especially in the public imagination.
When Silence Speaks Louder Than Words
If this truly is a misunderstanding, Rafizi could resolve it easily. All he really has to do to “resolve the misunderstanding”, if it were a misunderstanding, is just release simple public statement on his social media, to say that he sees no implication between Farhash and his son's attack.
If he could just post something to the tune of :
“This is a misunderstanding. I do not believe that Farhash is behind the attack on my son because of any investigation into his business dealings. I have no idea who was behind the attack; the police are still investigating.”
it will likely put the matter to rest. After all, if Rafizi could publicly clear Ismail Sabri and Khairy, why not Farhash?
But if he continues to remain silent, it is difficult to fault Farhash for believing that Rafizi’s comments — and omissions — were meant to implicate him, or at least to leave that suspicion hanging in the air.
That being the case, if Farhash values his image and reputation, I suppose he will have no other option, than to pursue the matter in court, to get the courts to get him the exoneration that Rafizi's silence and implications is not.
The Road Ahead
Personally, I tihnk that this matter has passed the point where it can be settled through social media clarifications or polite denials. Too many threads — the syringe attack, the MACC investigations, and the blurred line between politics and business — are now intertwined.
If one were a betting man, the smart money would be on this conflict unfolding not in press conferences, but in courtrooms — before judges, lawyers, and the unforgiving eye of public scrutiny.
Ultimately, this is not a story that will end with everyone unscathed. One side will have to suffer for the other to find relief.
Let us see how the cookies shall crumble.
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