PETALING JAYA: Pandan MP Datuk Seri Rafizi Ramli (pic) has declared his intention to stand firm against legal pressure following receipt of a formal cease and desist notice from representatives of businessman Datuk Wira Farhash Wafa Salvador over allegations linking him to corporate controversies.
The legal demand, dated August 22 and issued through the law firm Ahmad Deniel, Ruben & Co, directly challenges a video statement published by Rafizi on his verified Facebook account on August 20.
Farhash’s legal team has characterised the video content as containing false allegations that have seriously damaged their client’s reputation.
Despite the legal pressure, the former PKR deputy president has refused to back down from his position. “My statements were based on factual information,“ Rafizi maintained.
“I am completely prepared to defend these facts through the court system,” he said in a statement, today.
The MP confirmed that his legal representation, handled by Razlan Hadri Zulkifli from the firm Gan, Ho & Razlan Hadri, has been instructed to prepare for potential litigation proceedings.
“Should Farhash choose to pursue legal action, this matter will become one of significant public interest,“ Rafizi stated.
“It would provide an opportunity for my legal team to pose questions that have been circulating within public discourse for considerable time.”
The controversy stems from broader allegations surrounding corporate dealings, with Rafizi having previously called for Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) investigation into Farhash over allegations linked to a 70,000-hectare coal exploration licence in Sabah.
The legal notice specifically challenges several statements made by Rafizi, including claims about connections between an attack on his son and attempts to silence his investigations into corporate misconduct. The disputed statements include references to threatening messages received following the incident and allegations of diversionary tactics being employed to distract from ongoing investigations.
Farhash has categorically denied any involvement in the attack on Rafizi’s son, describing such suggestions as “crazy” and demanding both a complete retraction of the allegations and a public apology.
However, Rafizi has rejected these demands, maintaining his stance that the statements were justified and that he remains willing to have the matter adjudicated through the legal system.
The dispute appears set to escalate into a significant legal confrontation that could have broader implications for political accountability, transparency standards, and whistleblower protection mechanisms in Malaysian politics.
The MP has also dismissed speculation that his investigations were linked to former Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob or former Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin, calling such suggestions “malicious attempts to divert” attention from the actual subject of his inquiries.