Yusni Mat Piah (PN-Penaga) today admitted that the ranking on which he had based his claim might not be credible, and apologised after being reprimanded by the speaker.

However, he said it was a fact that the prime minister had declared RM11.4 million in assets before the 15th general election.

“I retract my speech in regard to Anwar, on the ranking of world leaders and apologise to all members. The part about asset declaration is true,” Yusni told the state assembly.

He had claimed in his debate of the 2025 state budget on Tuesday that the country had rich politicians such as Anwar, at a time when people were living from hand to mouth.

He cited a UK personal finance website which ranked Anwar as the 17th richest politician in the world.

He was told by backbenchers and the deputy speaker to retract the statement but said he was willing to face the assembly’s rights and privileges committee.

Speaker Law Choo Kiang today noted that the UK website had said it did not guarantee the accuracy of its report.

Law said Anwar’s wealth would not place him among the wealthiest globally or even in his birth state of Penang, and that as a second-term assemblyman, Yusni should know better than to share inaccurate information and mislead the House.

Law added that despite his deputy Azrul Mahathir Aziz instructing Yusni to retract the claim and apologise, the assemblyman had resisted, causing video footage of his debate to go viral online.

“We have standing orders. Do not cite articles that are not credible and do not make personal attacks or insinuations to defame our prime minister,” he said, adding that Yusni was welcome to make such remarks out of the House.

PKR assemblymen Gooi Hsiao Leung and Lee Boon Heng had earlier raised a point of order asking the speaker to censure Yusni for his remarks.