KUALA LUMPUR, 19 March: Selangor Menteri Besar Abdul Khalid Ibrahim has won a defamation suit against former Malaysia Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) chief commissioner Ahmad Said Hamdan who had accused him of corruption in 2009.

As ordered by the High Court, Ahmad Said today apologised in open court to Khalid for his statement made in response to media about the progress of MACC’s investigations on Khalid.

“I, Datuk Seri Panglima Ahmad Said bin Hamdan, sincerely apologise to Tan Sri Khalid bin Ibrahim, over my statement on February 21, 2009, that was published by the media,” he said.

The apology will also be published on the front page of the New Straits Times and The Star within the next four days. The second defendant in the case, which was filed on 27 April 2009, is the Federal Government.

“I am not seeking monetary compensation”

In an immediate reaction, Khalid said that he felt vindicated in his position as Menteri Besar and expressed his thanks to all parties for their cooperation. He also tweeted that he did not seek compensation from the defendants as the taxpayers would have to foot the bill.

“Saya tidak menuntut ganti rugi berupa wang kerana tidak mahu membebankan pembayar cukai iaitu rakyat Malaysia. Yang penting maruah saya dan keluarge terpelihara”.

(I did not seek damages in monetary form because I do not wish to burden the taxpayers, the Malaysian public. What is important is that the dignity of my family and I has been preserved.)

In February 2009 Ahmad Said was reported by the media as saying that the MACC had “strong evidence” of Khalid’s misuse of government funds for the maintenance of his personal car and the purchase of 46 sacrificial cows costing RM10,400 for a muslim rite in 2008.

In February 2010, MACC cleared Khalid of wrongdoing and no case was charged against him.