Barisan, PAS want Ambiga to clarify

She has to explain filing in British court she leaked info to Sarawak Report

As a lawyer who is supposedly championing truth and integrity, she needs to respond to these allegations and apologise because this is clearly slander.

Idris Ahmad

KUALA LUMPUR: Former Bersih co- chairman Datuk Ambiga Sreenavasan is in the spotlight after being named in a court filing in Britain as the person who leaked certain information to Sarawak Report.

The Barisan Nasional and PAS now want Ambiga to speak up on Sarawak Report editor Clare Rewcastle-Brown’s revelation that she was the source behind the allegation that PAS received up to RM90mil from the Prime Minister.

Faced with an onslaught yesterday, Ambiga said: “I’m afraid I am not at liberty to comment on proceedings that are before the UK courts.”

Rewcastle-Brown had filed the court document in response to a suit filed by PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang in April.

A news portal reported yesterday that Rewcastle-Brown named Ambiga as the source of information behind allegations that top leaders in PAS received money from Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak. The editor claimed that she spoke to Ambiga in July 2016 regarding Najib, 1MDB and PAS.

She said it was then that Ambiga told her that PAS received the estimated amount of money from Najib.

PAS vice-president Idris Ahmad said Ambiga should explain the matter immediately.

“As a lawyer who is supposedly championing truth and integrity, she needs to respond to these allegations and apologise because this is clearly slander,” the Bukit Gantang MP told reporters outside Parliament building yesterday.

Echoing the call, PAS’ Kuala Nerus MP Datuk Dr Khairuddin Aman Razali said the “onus is on Ambiga”.

“All this time, PAS has been wronged with such slander. Ambiga, as a lawyer, has to immediately respond. Was this just a claim or is it accurate?” he asked.

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Abdul Rahman Dahlan challenged Ambiga to reveal who her informants were.

“We asked because we wanted to carry out an exhaustive investigation into all the allegations hurled at 1MDB. But she (Rewcastle-Brown) has refused to reveal her source.

“Now, she suddenly names Ambiga as a source,” Abdul Rahman was quoted as telling the BN Backbenchers Council portal.