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

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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.

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