PARIT RAJA: Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi wants Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin and Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad to apologise for allegedly making defamatory claims during ceramah for the Johor state election.

       The Umno president said his lawyers have recently sent a letter of demand (LOD) to both Dr Mahathir and Muhyiddin.

       "Both LODs were sent recently and if both claim they were not sent, I can confirm here that my lawyers have sent them.

       "You can ask the two leaders (Dr Mahathir and Muhyiddin) on whether I'm lying," he told reporters after an event at Parit Raja on Sunday (Feb 27).

       Ahmad Zahid also denied that he will take the "sumpah laknat" (an oath used by Muslims to swear on the truth of their word), to refute claims he sought help to get corruption charges against him dropped, at a mosque in Pagoh as claimed on social media.

       "Instead, I want the individual who was supposedly telling the truth to take the 'sumpah laknat'. I know I have never met him (Muhyiddin) over bringing files of court documents.

       "It is an old tactic used to attack enemies," added Ahmad Zahid.

       Lawyers representing Ahmad Zahid, Messrs Shahrul Hamidi & Haziq, issued another statement, saying that Muhyiddin hasn't responded to the LOD despite being given a seven-day deadline.

       "The LOD is in regards to remarks made on Feb 16 at Felda Tenggaroh, Johor,

       "The LOD dated Feb 23 was sent to Muhyiddin personally and via post. Until now, we have not received any feedback.

       "The notice demands that in seven days, Muhyiddin must stop the publication of the remarks and issue a written open apology to Ahmad Zahid, as well as pledging not to utter those remarks again," said the firm.

       The lawyers described allegations made by Muhyiddin during the Feb 16 ceramah as "unsubstantiated, malicious and defamatory".

       Muhyiddin, who is also Pagoh MP, had claimed during a ceramah in Tangkak, Johor, on Feb 16 that Ahmad Zahid had visited his home with piles of files a few days after he was sworn in as prime minister in 2020.

       He claimed that Ahmad Zahid asked for help as he had not done the things of which he was accused.

       Muhyiddin said he refused to help, prompting Ahmad Zahid to back efforts to oust him as prime minister.

       Muhyiddin resigned as prime minister on Aug 15 last year after a group of Umno MPs, including Ahmad Zahid, withdrew their support for him, costing him his majority in the Dewan Rakyat.

       Muhyiddin said Bersatu supreme council member Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali and PAS president Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang happened to be at his home when Ahmad Zahid turned up and so there were witnesses.

       Ahmad Zahid has denied all allegations made by Muhyiddin, saying that he never visited the Pagoh MP to ask for his court cases to be dropped, "let alone bringing piles of files and asking to be let off as claimed".

       Ahmad Zahid is facing 47 counts of money laundering, criminal breach of trust and bribery over tens of millions of ringgit belonging to Yayasan Akalbudi - a charitable organisation he founded - at Kuala Lumpur High Court.

       He is also facing 40 charges of bribery involving more than RM43mil over the Foreign Visa System at the Shah Alam High Court.