Former Malaysian premier Mahathir Mohamad has filed a RM150 million (S$44.6 million) defamation lawsuit against Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim over “slanderous” claims that the elder leader had enriched himself and his family while in power.

In the lawsuit filed at the Shah Alam High Court on Wednesday, Tun Mahathir is seeking RM50 million in general damages and RM100 million in exemplary damages over Datuk Seri Anwar’s remarks which he allegedly made nearly two months ago at his Parti Keadilan Rakyat’s congress.

Mr Anwar on Thursday said: “I have lawyers, let my lawyers handle everything.”

In his March 18 speech, Mr Anwar – without mentioning any names – alluded to someone “who had been in power for 22 years and (later) an additional 22 months” using his position to enrich his family and himself.

Days later, Dr Mahathir said it was clear that Mr Anwar was referring to no other former premier but him because “I was in power for 22 years and 22 months”.

Dr Mahathir, 97, served as premier twice – from 1981 to 2003, and from 2018 to 2020 – and resigned both times. He lost his parliamentary seat of Langkawi in the 2022 general election.

As a result of Mr Anwar’s allegations in March, Dr Mahathir sent a legal letter dated March 27 to him to retract his “slanderous” claims or face legal action.

Mr Anwar’s lawyers replied in April, saying that they were ready to answer any allegations in court.

In his lawsuit, Dr Mahathir said Mr Anwar’s remarks suggested that the elder leader had billions in wealth, enriched his family and avoided paying taxes.

The allegations also portrayed him as a racist, a scoundrel and a religious bigot.

This, said Dr Mahathir, marred his image as a statesman and a two-time former prime minister both locally and internationally, and would create a negative perception of him.

“All my children are successful in their businesses without any interference from me or any form of abuse of power from me when I was the prime minister.

“Moreover, I have never been accused of, or punished for any offence related to abuse of power or misappropriation of funds during or after my tenure as prime minister,” he noted in his statement of claim.

He wants the court to issue an order for Mr Anwar to retract all his remarks.

He also wants Mr Anwar to extend an unconditional and open apology, with an undertaking that he will not repeat such statements in future.

The two used to have a close relationship, with Dr Mahathir calling Mr Anwar his friend and protege.

He anointed Mr Anwar as his successor in 1993. But amid disagreements over how to handle the Asian financial crisis in 1998, he said Mr Anwar was unfit to lead “because of his character”.

Between his stints as deputy prime minister in the 1990s and as official prime minister-in-waiting in 2018, Mr Anwar spent nearly a decade in jail for sodomy and corruption – charges that he said were politically motivated.

After decades of enmity, the two buried the hatchet briefly in 2018 to oust the then ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition, only to fall out again within two years, ending their 22-month-old Pakatan Harapan government and plunging Malaysia into a period of instability.

The last general election, on Nov 19, left the country in political limbo after no coalition gained enough seats to form a government.

Mr Anwar and rival Muhyiddin Yassin, whose coalitions had the two largest blocs in Parliament but no simple majority needed to form the government, competed to become premier.

The situation was resolved only when Mr Anwar gained the backing of BN – led by Umno, the party once headed by Dr Mahathir who expelled Mr Anwar in 1998 – to form a unity government.