Malaysia PM, police chief sued over calling out alleged plot

Mr Anwar and Mr Mahathir have been locked in an on-off rivalry that has shaped Malaysia’s politics for decades. Read more at straitstimes.com.

KUALA LUMPUR – The family of Malaysia’s influential former finance minister filed a lawsuit on March 6 against the country’s prime minister, chief of police and the government to halt what they said were false claims of a plot to overthrow the government allegedly involving his widow and sons.

A week ago, police announced an investigation into an alleged conspiracy to “topple the government and sabotage national stability”, which they said involved a local influential figure as well as an international media agency.

Neither Mr Anwar nor the police have identified the suspect or the firm.

The family of Mr Daim Zainuddin, an influential two-time finance minister who died in November 2024, said in a statement on March 6 it was “public knowledge” that the investigation targeted Mr Daim’s widow Na’imah Abdul Khalid and their sons.

An unverified copy of a police report circulating online accused Na’imah of plotting to overthrow the government. In a statement last week, she denied wrongdoing and questioned whether consulting a PR firm could qualify as an attempt to topple a government.

The family said their lawsuit sought to challenge what it called “abuse of power” by Mr Anwar, Police Inspector-General Mohd Khalid Ismail and the government, and for the court to declare that the investigation is unlawful and tainted with bad faith.