“No, police have yet to call me but I will assist them if I am asked to,” she told FMT when asked if investigators had interviewed her following two reports lodged three months ago.
The reports were made against the human rights lawyer over her alleged role in disclosing information that PAS leaders had received money from Prime Minister Najib Razak.
The allegation came about after PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang’s defamation suit against Clare, filed at the London High Court in April following an article carried by The Sarawak Report on Aug 6, 2016.
The article claimed RM90 million was “reckoned” to have entered the accounts of top PAS leaders to woo them into supporting Umno and Barisan Nasional.
Clare, who filed her defence and counter-claim to a suit in response to Hadi’s defamation suit, said she and Ambiga had spoken about Najib, 1MDB and PAS in July 2016.
“Ambiga had told the defendant that her sources, whom she said were reliable, had estimated the amount that had been paid was around RM90 million,” Clare said in her affidavit dated Oct 11.
Inspector-General of Police Mohamad Fuzi Harun confirmed in November that investigations were being conducted against Ambiga for causing public alarm following the reports.
Police have classified the reports under Section 505(b) of the Penal Code and Section 233 of the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission Act 1998 for causing public alarm.
Section 505(b) is for those who make, publish or circulate any statement, rumour or report with the intent to cause, or which is likely to cause, fear or alarm to the public, or to any section of the public whereby any person may be induced to commit an offence against the state or against public tranquility.
If convicted, the offender faces a maximum two years’ imprisonment, a fine, or both.
Ambiga had previously hit out at critics for harassing her over her alleged role in disclosing the information, calling it a form of persecution.
The Malaysian Bar had said the investigation into Ambiga for “causing public harm” over a statement of defence in a defamation case filed in London may amount to contempt of the United Kingdom courts.
The Bar also noted although several individuals had been named in the suit, Ambiga was being singled out.