Businessman Datuk Seri Kalimullah Hassan has apologised to Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad for any embarrassment caused by his article written on 11 June 2006 in the New Sunday Times with regards to the then Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi’s meeting with Dr Mahathir in Japan.
He also unreservedly withdraws and retracts all allegations he had made in the said article.
With the apology and retraction, Dr Mahathir is vindicated.
The apology was part of the mutual consent recorded at the Kuala Lumpur High Court today between Kalimullah and Matthias Chang in which both parties reached an amicable settlement over a RM50 million defamation suit filed by the former on Chang.
Chang on his part agreed to apologise to Kalimullah and ECM Libra for any embarrassment he had caused them and unreservedly withdraws and retracts all allegations made during a press conference on 13 June 2006.
In an immediate reaction Chang, former aide to Dr Mahathir, said he was glad that Kalimullah has agreed to apologise to Dr Mahathir.
“I am a nobody. I don’t mind apologising to Kalimullah as long as Tun (Mahathir) is vindicated.
“From the start, the issue is not about me. It is about the allegations and embarrassment caused on Tun.”
The High Court’s recorded statement on the settlement reads as follows:
By mutual consent the plaintiff and the defendant have reached an amicable settlement upon following terms:-
1) The defendant has unreservedly withdrawn and retracts all allegations against the plaintiff at the press conference held on 13 June 2006 and apologise to the plaintiff and ECM Libra for any embarrassment caused thereby;
2) And the plaintiff unreservedly withdraw and retracts all allegations made in respect of his article written on 11 June with regards to the then Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi’s meeting with Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad in Japan and apologises to Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad for any embarrassment caused thereby;
3) No order to costs
