The Kedah menteri besar apologised to Amirudin in open court as part of a settlement to resolve the civil suit over defamatory statements Sanusi had made regarding the Klang River cleaning project.

“The case is hereby resolved and fully closed,” said Justice Rozi Bainon.

However, the judge did not allow the public release of Sanusi’s statement of apology.

As part of the settlement, Sanusi agreed not to publish or assist in repeating or causing the future publication of the impugned remarks or statements similar to them.

Outside the courtroom, Amirudin told reporters that the outcome of the civil suit showed that Sanusi’s allegations were baseless.

“All parties must be careful (when making statements) and abstain from confusing the public. This should be a lesson to all,” he said.

Sanusi meanwhile said the suit was a warning to everyone, not just himself, about making defamatory statements.

“Whoever makes a statement that’s wrong can be sued. I have sued other people in the past, too,” he added.

Amirudin filed the lawsuit in 2023 after Sanusi said the Selangor menteri besar had abused his power by “colluding” with tycoon Vincent Tan to transfer a 600-acre (240ha) plot of state land worth RM10 billion to Berjaya Land Bhd for free.

Sanusi also claimed that the Selangor government incurred a RM180 million loss as a result.

In Sanusi’s defence, he said he was responding to the Selangor menteri besar’s own defamatory statements about him.

He said in the run-up to the six state elections in August 2023, Amirudin had made several derogatory remarks about him, calling him “rude” and a “coward”.

Tan and Berjaya Land had also filed a defamation suit against Sanusi for allegedly making defamatory remarks about the RM700 million river-widening project known as the Selangor Maritime Gateway.

Earlier this month, Bersatu’s Badrul Hisham Shaharin also apologised in court to settle a defamation suit brought against him by Menteri Besar Selangor (Incorporated) subsidiary Landasan Lumayan Sdn Bhd.