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Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim today issued a letter of demand to Perikatan Nasional chairman Tan Sri Muhyiddin for a retraction and apology over the claim Anwar was paid RM15 million annually as Selangor state adviser.

In the ten-page legal letter sent by Anwar’s lawyers at SN Nair & Partners, they claimed Muhyiddin published or caused to be published an excerpt from the PN Grand Finale ceramah in Padang Serai, Kedah, on TikTok through the @beritakini8 account on December 5.

Anwar’s lawyer said that this video clip had been viewed 1.1 million times, shared 2,169 times, liked 21,400 times, and commented on 6,061 times as of the letter’s issuance today.

The lawyer said the audio clip had carried allegedly defamatory remarks against Anwar through claims he was paid RM15 million when he was Selangor economic adviser before becoming prime minister.

They stressed that the allegations were untrue and maliciously made against Anwar.

They further noted that the claim by Muhyiddin has since been refuted by Selangor state official Juwairiya Zulkifli in an official press statement dated December 7 that was also carried by other news outlets.

The law firm said both the press statement and news article have unequivocally strengthened their client’s denial against Muhyiddin’s hearsay remark.

It claimed the alleged defamatory act was committed to garner cheap publicity for political purposes in the attempt to sway voter support during the Padang Serai parliamentary election.

If no satisfactory response from Muhyiddin is received within three days of receiving this letter of demand, Anwar’s lawyers said legal action would be initiated.

Anwar demanded for Muhyiddin to immediately and publicly make an unconditional retraction of the defamatory video clip, as well as to make an unconditional apology to be published in newspapers and media of Anwar’s choice, and to make a written undertaking or promise to not repeat the allegations in the video clip.

Anwar’s lawyers said that failure to do so would result in them seeking an injunction order from the court and to initiate a legal action against Muhyiddin.

Anwar is also seeking compensation over the serious injury to his reputation and for legal costs to be borne by Muhyiddin.

When contacted, lawyer Datuk SN Nair confirmed the letter was posted and delivered by hand today.

Anwar was first appointed Selangor economic adviser in November 2009 when the late Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim was mentri besar.

He continued to hold the post even after his imprisonment in 2015 on a sodomy charge, when Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali was mentri besar.

He was given a full royal pardon and released from prison in early 2018 after Pakatan Harapan won the general election.

The Department of Irrigation and Drainage (DID) has issued a notice of preparedness for possible flash floods within 24 hours in several areas in Perak, Selangor, Johor, Kedah and Sarawak.

The DID said in a statement today that the notice was issued at 5 pm based on the rain forecast information from the Malaysian Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia), the Southeastern Asia-Oceania Flash Flood Guidance System (SAOFFGS) system and the DID flood forecast model that there is a risk of flash floods in several locations in the states involved in the event of heavy rain or thunderstorms.

In Perak, the areas at risk are the districts of Batang Padang (Sungkai and surrounding areas), Larut, Matang and Selama (Bukit Gantang, Sungai Limau, Pengkalan Aor, Jebong, Asam Kumbang and surrounding areas), Mualim (Hulu Bernam Timur and surrounding areas) and Perak Tengah (Pasir Panjang Hulu, Layang-Layang and surrounding areas).

In Selangor, the areas expected to be hit are the districts of Hulu Selangor (Ulu Bernam and its surrounding areas), Klang (Klang, Pekan Kapar and surrounding areas) and Kuala Selangor (Pekan Bestari Jaya and surrounding areas).

The Yan District (Bandar Guar Chempedak and surrounding areas) in Kedah and the Muar District (Seri Menanti and surrounding areas) in Johor are also expected to be affected.

​Meanwhile, one division in Sarawak at risk of being affected is Samarahan, which involves Taman Residen, Sekolah Kebangsaan Muara Tuang, Kampung Tanjung Bundong, Taman Uni Garden, Muara Tuang III and the surrounding areas.

“This preparedness notice is issued to enable all residents, especially in areas at risk, to be on alert in the event of flash floods for that period,” added the statement.

The public can visit the website https://publicinfobanjir.water.gov.my, Facebook @PublicInfoBanjir and Twitter @JPS_InfoBanjir for more information.

Meanwhile, MetMalaysia has issued an alert-level continuous rain warning involving Terengganu and Kelantan from today until Friday (Dec 9). 

Police arrested a man and seized contraband worth RM8,000 in an operation here on December 5.

In a statement, Miri police chief ACP Alexson Naga Chabu said the man was nabbed after he was suspected to have sold the alcohol and cigarettes with duties unpaid.

“During a check on the premises, the police discovered 50 boxes of alcoholic drinks without Customs stamp duty and 930 cartons of cigarettes of various brands.

“The seized contraband items were estimated to be worth RM8,000,” he said.

Alexson said the suspect was being detained at the Miri Central police station lockup for further investigation under Section 135(1)(d) of the Customs Act 1967.

​“The police would like to remind the public to not be involved and in cahoots with those involved in contraband activities.

“Stern action will be taken against those found to be involved in this activity,” he added. 

The egg shortage issue in the country that has been going on for over six months should be resolved with a long-term food security policy, Consumers Association of Penang (CAP) president Mohideen Abdul Kader said.

He said the newly formed government should come up with policies for the country to produce its own food supplies by focusing more on agriculture and the food supply industries.

“We are importing chicken feed and most of the meat we consume, about 70 per cent, are imported,” he said in a press conference at the CAP headquarters here.

He said the government should be looking into approving more agricultural projects and farms so that the country can produce its own supply of food instead of relying on imported food supplies.

“We have to look at this as a whole and give more priority to food security rather than focusing on bringing in more industries that cause pollution,” he said.

​He said the government previously was more focused on commodities like palm oil and other industries but had neglected food security.

“It is time to shift to producing our own supply of food, we have plenty of lands for that but we are not producing enough,” he said.

As for the current egg shortage situation, he said the recent announcement by the Agriculture and Food Security Minister Mohamad Sabu to import eggs is a temporary measure.

“The government must come up with a more comprehensive long term plan,” he said.

He hoped the ministry will investigate why there was a shortage now when before this, the egg supplies in the country was sufficient.

“All this time, we have sufficient egg supply and we even exported eggs so what is there suddenly a shortage?” He asked.

He claimed there could be a plan by certain cartels to slaughter egg-laying chicken early to reduce the supply of eggs as a way to manipulate the prices of eggs in the market.

“The government should set up a committee to investigate the existence of such cartels that are using these tactics to manipulate the market prices of eggs,” he said.

The Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) has received a total of 220 reports on online investment scheme syndicate known as Zuttelo which has led to a loss of RM84,579,831.76 since August.

Its secretary Datuk Noorsiah Mohd Saaduddin said the syndicate was found to be actively carrying out fraudulent activities throughout the country for the past two years.

“The syndicate is believed to have been active since 2020 and the company’s website was shut down in August this year.

“This investment scheme offers nine investment packages with total investments ranging from US$630 to US$12,700 with each investor being promised a minimum return of 16.5 per cent per month,” she said in a statement today.

Noorsiah advised the public to remain vigilant and to conduct detailed checks with official sources, including Semak Mule, Bank Negara Malaysia alert list and the Securities Commission before signing up for investment schemes that promised lucrative returns.

A local woman property agent lost more than RM7 million after being duped in a Macau scam by someone impersonating a Health Ministry (MoH) officer on May 18.

Brickfields police chief ACP Amihizam Abdul Shukor said the 66-year-old woman claimed she received a call from a man who informed the victim that she possessed (52) doses of Sinovac vaccine applied illegally in the victim's name and that action would be taken by the Ministry of Health.

He said the call to the victim was later passed to a ‘policeman’ who told the victim she was involved in illegal money laundering and there was a warrant of arrest in her name.

“Believing the story, the victim was told to open seven new local bank accounts and surrender all bank account information to the suspect.

“The victim was then ordered to transfer her money amounting to more than RM7 million into the seven new accounts,” he said in a statement today.

According to him, the victim realised she had been cheated after checks with Bank Negara found that withdrawals were made from her seven bank accounts without her knowledge.

He said the victim who was unhappy and felt cheated, lodged a police report and the case was investigated under Section 420 of the Penal Code for cheating. 

Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim was only ever to get a “symbolic salary” of RM1 a year when he was Selangor economic adviser, state official Juwairiya Zulkifli said today.

The Bukit Melawati assemblyman who is also political secretary to Selangor Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari was refuting Perikatan Nasional (PN) chairman Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin who claimed that before becoming prime minister, Anwar had been paid RM15 million for the state post.

“During YAB Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's tenure as Selangor economic adviser, he was only given a symbolic salary of RM1 per year.

“The salary has not been paid to him since the date of appointment. He did not receive any allowance or privileges other than the RM1 salary,” she said in a statement posted on Facebook page of the state-owned Media Selangor.

Juwairiya said Muhyiddin’s allegation during an election campaign speech for the Padang Serai parliamentary seat in Kedah was not new and had been repeated numerous times despite being untrue.

She added that the recycled allegation showed PN’s level of desperation and lack of political capital after failing to form the federal government following the November 19 general election.

“The act of spreading slander and false allegations to cloud the minds of the people is very irresponsible and clearly out of the heart of Malay-Islam politics that they always chant.

“I believe that the voters of Padang Serai should reject PN in today's election because they still want to collect votes with slander and fabrication.

“I believe that the YAB Prime Minister should take further action to prevent the repetition of this slander continued to be peddled by those who are morally and ethically bankrupt in politics,” Juwairiya said.

Anwar was first appointed Selangor economic adviser in November 2009 when the late Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim was mentri besar.

He continued to hold the post even after his jailing in 2015 on a sodomy charge during the Selangor leadership of Datuk Seri Azmin Ali.

He was given a full royal pardon and released from prison in early 2018 after the Pakatan Harapan electoral victory.

Polling for the Padang Serai parliamentary seat and Tioman state seat in Pahang began at 8am today, after being deferred following the deaths of two candidates during the 15th general election.

An elderly man who was reported missing two weeks ago was found dead in an undergrowth area in Kampung Jumbang, Seri Menanti, Kuala Pilah near here this afternoon.

Kuala Pilah district police chief Supt Amran Mohd Ghani said the body of Abu Zahrin A. Hassan, 67, was found fully clothed by an orchard owner in the area at around 2.30pm, adding that no signs of foul play were found.

His identity was confirmed by his close relatives the same day.

The victim was reported missing by his sister Norliza A Hassan, 53, the morning after he left his house in Kampung Sikai, Gunung Pasir, Seri Menanti near here.

Norliza said she and her family accepted her brother’s passing and thanked everyone, including villagers, the police and fire and rescue department personnel who helped to look for him.

“Alhamdulillah, my prayers have been answered although he was found dead. He is still at the hospital pending the completion of the autopsy. Insya-Allah he will be buried at the Kampung Sikai cemetery tomorrow,” she said. 

The Finance Ministry today confirmed that a minor fire broke out at its refuse chamber in Putrajaya around 2:26pm today.

In a statement this evening, the ministry said that the Fire and Rescue Department managed to put out the fire before it reached other parts of the building.

No one was injured in the incident.

"The Finance Ministry is still waiting for the official report from the relevant authorities on what caused the fire," it said.

The refuse chamber is said to be located at Level G of the Treasury’s main block.

Earlier today, a clip with a caption "ada kebakaran di MoF” (there’s a fire at MoF) went viral on social media platforms, raising the concern among the public.

Close to RM60 million in traffic summonses have been paid for the first 10 months of this year, according to Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Acryl Sani Abdullah Sani.

He said the majority was paid online while some RM10.37 million were collected from 37 counters that offered a discount of 50 per cent between January and October, The Star reported today.

“The response towards settling summonses online via the MyBayar Saman portal and app has been tremendous.

“A total of 105,260 users paid their summonses online, amounting to RM49.6 million between January and October this year.

“This achievement is a testament to the hard work and efforts by the Bukit Aman Traffic Investigation and Enforcement Department,” he was quoted saying at the Bukit Aman monthly assembly yesterday.

Acryl Sani also praised police personnel who had gone the extra mile to help those in need.

“It heartens me to see news on social media of policemen going beyond their job scope to help people,” he was quoted as saying.

Social media apps captured several policemen in action removing debris from clogged public drains for a smoother flow of water and traffic that have since been widely shared online.

Acryl Sani also thanked the rank-and-file for their hard work during the recent general election to ensure no major untoward incidents happened.

“Many parties and their supporters have shown maturity in campaigning.

“Let us all give the best service with integrity for the good of the people and the country,” he added.