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Entrepreneur Datuk Seri Aliff Syukri Kamarzaman told the High Court that he felt compelled to vent on social media because former culture, arts and tourism minister Tan Sri Abdul Kadir Sheikh Fadzir allegedly owed him RM30 million
Testifying in his defence against Abdul Kadir's defamation suit, Aliff Syukri, 38, claimed that the former minister had avoided his attempts to communicate for years, eventually blocking his phone number.
"Please read this," Aliff Syukri told Justice Roslan Mat Nor on 8 January, while presenting WhatsApp screenshots to the court.
"I pleaded with him to please help me, answer my calls, [but] my WhatsApp messages were not replied to," he added.
Aliff Syukri explained that the conflict arose from a RM30 million investment he made in Buckingham By-The-Sea Sdn Bhd (BBTS), a company allegedly owned by Abdul Kadir
According to Harian Metro, he testified that the former minister allegedly pressured him with "sweet promises" of guaranteed returns and investment security, even if the project failed or faced bankruptcy.
Despite fulfilling his part of the deal by promoting a resort in Langkawi, Aliff Syukri claimed he never received the promised returns or payment for his services.
During cross-examination by Abdul Kadir's lawyer, Ravichandaran Selliah, Aliff Syukri defended his decision to upload a picture asking about the former minister's whereabouts
"I am not a politician, I am just a businessman," Aliff Syukri stated, adding that he would not be in court if Abdul Kadir had not "run away".
The businessman noted that he only went public after years of failed contact, questioning whether the judge would act differently if RM30 million of his own capital were at stake.
Meanwhile, Abdul Kadir said he did not ignore phone calls or messages from Aliff Syukri
"I do not recall ever failing to answer his phone calls, unless I was out of the area. Therefore, I deny that allegation," Abdul Kadir reportedly told the judge on 6 January.
"He (Aliff Syukri) claimed that I was pestering him? I am 86 years old, while he is in his 30s. I have built many millionaires over 30 years as a member of parliament, and I also helped many people during my time with UMNO," he added.
"Every time I see the success stories of Malay businessmen like Aliff Syukri, I feel proud, even though he is not very well educated," he said during proceedings.
Abdul Kadir is pursuing a defamation suit against Aliff Syukri over Instagram posts from July 2023, in which he alleged that the former minister owed him "tens of millions of ringgit".
