Ramesh Rao, adviser for a group that calls itself Pertubuhan Minda dan Sosial Prihatin Malaysia (PMSP), has threatened to sue Sarawak Report for calling him a "bankrupt" and a "BN cybertrooper".
"I will sue Sarawak Report for defaming me. I challenge Sarawak Report to prove that I am a cybertrooper and bankrupt," he said in a statement issued by PMSP on Twitter .
Sarawak Report had made the remarks in a Facebook posting, where it noted that Ramesh was turned away by the UK police in London when he tried to submit "evidence" and lodge a report against the whistleblower website.
Ramesh was instead asked to hand his material to the Malaysian High Commission in the UK.
When pointed out that he had indeed admitted to being a bankrupt in July last year, Ramesh said his bankruptcy problem had been "resolved".
"This issue has been resolved, I only owe RM15,000 more," he said.
According to the Department of Insolvency's website a person can be declared a bankrupt pursuant to an adjudication order made by the High Court if he or she is unable to pay debts of at least RM30,000.
There is no automatic discharge from bankruptcy in Malaysia, as it would require an order by the Court or the director-general of insolvency, subject to any creditor’s objection.
There are many restrictions imposed on bankrupts such as forfeiture of assets, restriction to go abroad and from holding corporate office and having to carry on business or other requirements to pay off creditors.
Continuing further, Ramesh said that the documents submitted against Sarawak Report and its editor Clare Rewcastle-Brown contained new information.
"The documents have never been revealed or known to the Malaysian authorities," he said.
Sarawak Report has been at the forefront of reporting on alleged corruption by Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak, who had denied all of the website's accusations.
While Ramesh and his NGO, seen to be friendly to the ruling party, has been active in seeking to debunk the website's reports accusing Rewcastle-Brown of being an agent of parties with vested political interests.
