Habibul Rahman Kadir Shah claimed that Syed Saddiq made the alleged defamatory statement against him at a press conference on Oct 2, 2017.

Reports had said that Syed Saddiq, who was then the Bersatu youth chief, had alleged that there was a “systematic” attempt to influence Bersatu leaders in quitting the party in 2017.

Lawyers for the businessman said Syed Saddiq’s statement, in which Habibul was alleged to have come up with a plan to dismiss Syed Saddiq from his former job as a researcher, was “designed to injure his (Habibul) personal character”.

In a letter of demand from the lawyers of Jahaberdeen & Co, Habibul is seeking an apology within nine days, damages, and an undertaking that Syed Saddiq does not repeat the alleged defamatory words.