Anwar betrayed me, Nallakaruppan tells court

KUALA LUMPUR: Senator Tan Sri S. Nallakaruppan told the High Court that PKR de-facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim had betrayed him during the Ijok by-election and subsequent PKR elections.
Testifying as the fifth witness in the trial of the RM100 million defamation suit filed by Anwar against Youth and Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin, today, Nallakaruppan, 69, said he was also asked by Anwar to not compete for the position of PKR vice president despite garnering the second highest votes during nomination.
"During the by-election in Ijok that was held on April 28, 2007, I was supposed to run for PKR.
"However, I was unfairly discarded in favour of Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim as the candidate," he said in a written statement submitted to the court.
Questioned by Khairy's lead counsel Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah, Nallakaruppan who was barely audible throughout due to a sore throat also referred media reports related to the issue to the court.
During cross-examination, Anwar's lead counsel Latheefa Koya then asked whether Nallakaruppan felt disappointed over both incidents.
"I felt betrayed but not angry during the Ijok by-election as I still attended ceramahs throughout the campaigning as Anwar invited me," he said.
The court was left in stitches after Nallakaruppan said that the disappointment stemmed after Anwar had often introduced him as popular Tamil film actor M. G. R. to the people when giving talks.
"I had a good chance to win (the by-election) as 30% of the voters in Ijok were members of the Indian community
"He (Anwar) told me at the last minute before nomination not to contest," he said referring to the 2007 Ijok by-election.
On the issue regarding the PKR vice presidency, Nallakaruppan who is currently Malaysian Indian United Party (MIUP) president said that he insisted to contest for the post of vice president in PKR despite receiving Anwar's offer to appoint him to the post.
"I wanted to contest because I wanted to know my future in the party.
"If I took up the appointed post, I could be removed from it," he said.
Nallakaruppan also told the court that he had argued with Anwar over orders not to contest for the party post.
"I argued that he is not the party president and that Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail should tell me instead.
"It was a small misunderstanding that happened a long time ago but now it is okay, he (Anwar) is my friend," he said as he smiled at Anwar who was seated close to him near the dock.
When questioned by Latheefa on why he claimed to have garnered the second highest votes during the nomination for the party post despite dropping out of the race early on, an agitated Nallakaruppan insisted that he was prior to dropping out of the contest.
"This is politics. Are you teaching a fish how to swim ?
"Once I dropped out, I never interfered anymore so I have no idea.
"If I stood until the end I might have even be number one (nominee) ,"he added.
Earlier in the day, government think tank member Datuk Lokman Noor Adam, 43, had testified in the case.
The hearing before High Court Judicial Commissioner Azizul Azmi Adnan continues tomorrow.
Anwar filed his defamation suit against Khairy on March 7, 2008 alleging that the latter, as the then Umno Youth deputy chief, had uttered defamatory words and caused the posting on websites (including Malaysiakini.com) of a video clip entitled "Anwar and kin no threat".
In his lawsuit, Anwar said the defamatory words, among others, meant that he was involved in activities contradictory to Islam, was not of good character and was not fit to hold political or other positions.
In his statement of defence filed on Oct 8, 2010, Khairy said he relied on the defence of justification and qualified privilege.