Ambiga claims intimidation, harassment by critics

(The Star) – Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan, who was named in a court filing in Britain as the person who leaked certain information to Sarawak Report, claims that there have been “targeted acts of intimidation and harassment” against her.

In a statement on Thursday, the former Bersih co-chairman said she had faced a barrage of attacks over the past few days from critics aligned to the “claimant” in the case, referring to PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang.

“They seriously undermine, and are disrespectful of, the UK proceedings and may in my view, amount to a contempt of the UK court. As these acts may in one way or another be seen to be connected to the claimant, I believe he could  be answerable to the UK court for them,” she said.

A news portal had reported Sarawak Report editor Clare Rewcastle-Brown as naming Ambiga as the source of information behind allegations that top leaders in PAS received money from Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.

The editor claimed that she spoke to Ambiga in July 2016 regarding Najib, 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) and PAS.

Rewcastle-Brown had filed the court document in response to a suit filed by Abdul Hadi in April.

In her statement, Ambiga also said that the recently disclosed defence and counterclaim in the suit focused on two paragraphs in which she had been specifically named.

“I have refrained from comment for now, in view of the pending proceedings in the UK court.

“It is therefore highly unusual and irregular that those in the claimant’s party and others who are aligned to him, are seeking to conduct a mini trial (or persecution) in Malaysia on the two paragraphs of the defence that mention my name,” she said.

Ambiga said the forum for the proceedings in UK was chosen by Abdul Hadi and it is therefore in the UK court that any requests or demands for documents or information must be made.

“It is there that the responses to the serious allegations contained in the defence and counterclaim must be submitted. It is there that the trial will be held. In the UK. Not in Malaysia,” she added.

Ambiga said those who are aggrieved in any way ought to take their grievances to the court in UK.

“I believe they may even intervene in those proceedings and become parties if they feel strongly enough and have a case to put forward,” she said.