Lawyer Rosli Dahlan, who represented Muhyiddin, said Justice Nik Hasmat Nik Mohamed had annulled the suit on grounds that Mohd Anas clearly had no cause of action.

“The plaintiff’s pleading did not disclose any defamatory words or actions,” Rosli told reporters on the ruling made in the judge’s chambers.

Rosli said the judge also ordered Mohd Anas to pay his client RM5,000 in costs.

Mohd Anas filed the suit on June 6 last year after Muhyiddin refused to apologise. Muhyiddin subsequently filed an application to strike out the suit.

On Oct 13, Muhyiddin’s counsel Muhammad Faizal Faiz Mohd Hasani said Mohd Anas’ suit should be struck out as the plaintiff’s statement of claim failed to show a reasonable cause of action and was an abuse of court process.

In his statement of claim, Mohd Anas said he had held a press conference on April 5 to announce that 500 PPBM members had left the party following dissatisfaction with Muhyiddin’s leadership.

The plaintiff said Muhyiddin held a press conference outside the Parliament lobby the following day to respond to Mohd Anas’ statement.

He alleged that Muhyiddin’s statements had described him as a dishonest person in his personal and official capacity. They also suggested that he was not qualified to be a leader in a political party and that he could not be trusted, he said.

He asked for RM10 million in general damages as well as aggravated and exemplary damages and an injunction to prevent the defendant from defaming him.

Lawyer Hazwan Mohd Nor said he would take instructions from Mohd Anas on the next course of action.