Tony Pua it was Zahid who was arrested not me, Zahid Hamidi fails in to have assault suit against him struck out

KUALA LUMPUR, March 18 — DAP leader Tony Pua has demanded that Defence Minister Datuk Seri Zahid Hamidi retract his allegation that the Petaling Jaya MP was once arrested in Singapore or risk a defamation suit.

Calling the claims “baseless and slanderous lies”, Pua(picture) said he could not believe Zahid would “stoop so low” to divert public attention away from deals worth RM13.6 billion signed last month by his ministry.

“Let me make it clear in no uncertain terms that I’ve never ever been arrested in Singapore, not even for jay walking,” the DAP national publicity secretary said in a statement today. “I’ve never ever been charged in Singapore, for civil or criminal cases.”

Zahid told reporters yesterday that Pua had been arrested in Singapore and taken to court before being released, which barred him from public office there.

The minister also suggested that the DAP man was freed on account of his “good relationship” with “a certain office” there, an apparent reference to Datuk Bung Mokhtar Radin’s earlier claim that Pua was a Singaporean agent.

The controversial Kinabatangan MP had levelled the accusation at Pua in Parliament on Wednesday.

Pua strongly denied he had any relationship with the Singapore government or that he was interested in taking part in the republic’s politics.

“The insinuation by the minister that I am now a ‘Singapore agent’ due to a deal with Singapore authorities is downright evil,” he said.

“The story painted by the defence minister is so outrageous and incredible that perhaps he will make a better spy fiction writer like John Le Carre than he is as the country’s defence minister.”

He also rubbished claims that he had studied in Singapore from primary to tertiary levels, pointing out that he only pursued secondary education at Raffles Institution there as an Asean scholar.

Pua said Zahid’s attempt to shift public attention using “frivolous” accusations suggested that the minister had something to hide from the public.

He pointed out that Zahid had yet to provide a detailed explanation for his ministry’s RM6 billion purchase of six offshore patrol vessels and the RM7.6 billion bill for 257 8x8 armoured wheeled vehicles.

Pua said he would instruct his lawyers to file suit against Zahid next week if the minister did not make an unreserved public apology within 24 hours.

related article

malaysiakita: Zionist Baptized Paraian Ahmad Zahid

 will rather 

...

 Zionist Baptized Paraian Ahmad Zahid will rather share bed with UMNO'S ...Umno vice-president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi on Saturday vowed to

Zahid Hamidi fails in to have assault suit against him struck out 

LEGAL EAGLES: (From left) Shashi, Karpal and Shamsul Baharin conversing outside court this morning — Pic: SHAHIR OMARSHAH ALAM: A High Court here this morning shot down an application by Defence Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi to strike out an assault suit filed against him by an entrepreneur three years ago.

In proceedings done in chambers, judicial commissioner Datuk Zaleha Yusof dismissed the application by the 57-year-old minister to strike out a 2007 suit by Amir Bazli Abdullah, 40.

Zaleha dismissed Ahmad Zahid's application with the cost of RM3,000 to be borne by the latter. Amir Bazli's counsel, Karpal Singh, told reporters outside the courtroom that Zaleha had given Ahmad Zahid a month to submit his statement of defence to the plaintiff's suit.

No details were provided to reporters on why the court dismissed the minister's application to strike out the suit.

Ahmad Zahid had, on Aug 29, 2007, filed an application to strike out a suit by Amir Bazli who alleged the minister assaulted him on Jan 16, 2006, at 10pm, as he was refueling his car at a petrol station in Bangi.

In Ahmad Zahid's application, the then Deputy Information Minister claimed the suit was "scandalous, vexatious, frivolous and abuse of the court process". Amir Bazli filed the suit on July 4, 2007, alleging that Ahmad Zahid assaulted him, that he was wrongfully confined at the minister's house in Kajang and as a result of the assault, suffered facial injuries.

The plaintiff was claiming for an unspecified amount in special and general damages. He also lodged a police report on the alleged incident on Dec 20, 2006.

Ahmad Zahid was represented by counsel Shashi Menon and Shamsul Baharin Ibrahim.