KUALA LUMPUR: Berjaya Corporation Bhd Founder and Adviser Tan Sri Vincent Tan Chee Yioun and Berjaya Land Bhd have demanded a public apology and compensation of RM200 million from Kedah caretaker Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor over his remarks relating to the Selangor Maritime Gateway (SMG) Project.
Muhammad Sanusi, had on Aug 2 at an event called “Jelajah Mega PN Best”/“PN BEST Sayangi Kedah Sejahtera mega tour” delivered a speech which was deemed politically motivated, slanderous, plainly false, untrue, unwarranted, unsubstantiated, malicious, and mischievous against and Berjaya Land, directly and/or indirectly pertaining to the SMG Project.
In a press statement issued by Berjaya, the following excerpts extracted from the speech were said to be defamatory:
a) “...Menteri “cokia” ni dengan Mr Tan dengan sebuah Syarikat MBI Selangor, macam mana satu projek di sekitar Sungai klang tu akan merugikan Kerajaan negeri Selangor paling busuk 180 juta...”
b) “...Macam mana 600 hectar akan diberi percuma kepada taukeh ini...”
c) “...Macam mana taukeh ini mengambil alih Syarikat MBI 55%...”
d) “...Kita tak akan belah “taikoh-taikoh” besar Vincent Tan ka..., kita tak akan belah, kita tak akan beri perhatian...”
e) “...Vincent Tan nak buat projek sungai sepuluh bilion, nak dapat dapat tanah 600 hectar di Selangor, sungai Klang, dia punya pasal. Itu “cokia” punya MB dia punya “taukeh”...”
f) “...Kami tunggu benda ini melutup, kami tengok muka dia letak di mana...”
g) “...Harta-harta Selangor nak terlepas kepada taukeh ini...”
The allegations have been denied by Berjaya Land and a point-by-point rebuttal has been issued via a press release by Berjaya Land on Aug 4 to correct the statements made by Muhammad Sanusi.
A letter of demand, through the lawyers representing Tan and Berjaya Land, has been served on Muhammad Sanusi on Aug 5 to:
1. Unequivocally remove and retract all the defamatory statements in the MB’s Speech referred to Tan and Berjaya Land;
2. Provide an unequivocal public apology in respect of the MB’s Speech on terms to be dictated by the lawyers, to be published immediately by Muhammad Sanusi on any platform that the lawyers determine;
3. Provide a written undertaking that Muhammad Sanusi will not repeat the publication and/or utterance of these or similar statements made in the MB’s speech concerning Tan and Berjaya Land;
4. Provide a written undertaking that Muhammad Sanusi shall forthwith cease and desist from publishing, uttering, posting, sharing, republishing, reposting and/or resharing in any manner whatsoever the statements and/or words and/or identical statements or those of a similar nature in the MB’s speech in any manner whatsoever; and
5. Agree to pay a sum of RM200 million as compensation to Tan and Berjaya Land.
In the event that Muhammad Sanusi fails to comply with the foregoing demands by close of business on Aug 8, legal action will be taken, the release said.
At the same time, Tan and Berjaya Land have also lodged several police reports against Muhammad Sanusi, bloggers such as Murray Hunter, Badrul Hisham Shaharin (better known as Chegubard) and Raja Petra Kamarudin over the publication of similar remarks relating to the SMG Project which may be considered as an offence of criminal defamation under Section 499 of the Penal Code, that upon conviction may be punished with imprisonment for a term of up to two years or afine, or both.
“These defamatory statements have tarnished my and Berjaya Land’s integrity, credit, reputation and image. These accusations have cast doubt and raised unwarranted suspicions over our legitimate business endeavours and philanthropic activities.
“We want to send a strong message that anyone making false and damaging statements about us will not be tolerated and we shall hold them accountable for their actions,” said Tan.
