TAIPING: Perak PAS chief Razman Zakaria has apologised in court to Anwar Ibrahim for claiming that Anwar had condoned LGBT practices in an election campaign speech last year.

His apology was made at the High Court here as part of a consent judgment to settle a defamation suit brought against him by Anwar.

Anwar’s lawyer, SN Nair, said his client had agreed to the settlement as a goodwill gesture and to let the matter rest “in the interest of all parties”.

“When a man repents and seeks forgiveness in good faith, it takes a gracious leader to rise to the occasion and accept the apology and withdraw the suit,” said Nair, who said the settlement had vindicated Anwar.

The suit was filed on Dec 5 over Razman’s claim that Anwar had said in a campaign speech that he would promote a LGBT agenda, allow same-sex marriage and support the communist agenda if he became prime minister.

Anwar, who is chairman of Pakatan Harapan and president of PKR, was standing for election as MP for Tambun at the general election in November last year.

He won by a majority of 3,736 against Ahmad Faizal Azumu of Bersatu and two others and became prime minister on Nov 24.

Razman is the Perak state assemblyman for Gunong Semanggol and current leader of the state opposition.

The suit was filed on Dec 5 at the High Court here. Anwar had demanded RM5 million in damages and an injunction to prevent Razman from making further defamatory statements against him.

The statement of claim said Razman’s allegations had implied that Anwar had abused his powers as an MP, was deceitful, a traitor, a hypocrite and not a good Muslim.