2003 Opcom deal benefited Dr M’s family: Anwar’s defamation defence

[superadmin]

KUALA LUMPUR – Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has highlighted an RM214-million fibre optic contract awarded to a company whose board included members of Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s family in his defence statement to a defamation suit by the former two-time prime minister.

The prime minister’s statement of defence, filed at the Shah Alam High Court through law firm Thomas Philip and reported by The Malaysian Insight, said Mahathir had used his position as prime minister and finance minister to award the contract to Opcom Cables Sdn Bhd in 2003.

Mahathir has filed an RM150-million defamation suit against Anwar over statements that allegedly tarnished the nonagenarian’s reputation.

Anwar in his statement of defence said that on September 15, 2003, Telekom Malaysia Bhd ™ issued a letter to the Finance Ministry (MoF) to request approval to conduct direct negotiations with Opcom for the supply of fibre optic cables worth RM214.2 million.

He noted that TM is a government-linked company whereby Minister of Finance Inc holds the golden share.

- More -

[superadmin]

Before watching clash of mentor Mahathir and protégé Anwar, watch how it all started first

AS the court case between Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim (PMX) and his former mentor Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad unfolds, suddenly the film Anwar: The Untold Story springs into the spotlight again.

It makes one wonder if this is a case of the ghost from Anwar: The Untold Story returning to haunt Dr Mahathir. It is not about retaliation as PMX claimed he has forgiven his enemies who put him in jail.

Never once has he brought up the name of former Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Tan Sri Abdul Rahim Mohd Nor who bashed him up in the lock-up. The court case is part of a new episode in Malaysian history.

With the upcoming court case Dr Mahathir vs Anwar, the `Untold Story’ may well have been titled the “Unfinished Story” as the producer Zulkiflee SM Anwar Ulhaque a.k.a. Zunar may work on the next production.

Zunar shared that his objectives of producing the film are two-fold.

“We want people to know that Anwar was and is still serious with his anti-graft campaign,” he told FocusM. “Anwar has paid a hefty price for it and if not for the royal pardon, he would have spent a total of 10 years in prison. It also allows Anwar an opportunity to tell his side of the story.”

- More -