Former deputy premier Anwar Ibrahim said he will take ex-premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad to court over statements that he (Anwar) is a "sodomist", if the latter does not apologise and pay RM100 million in compensation.

In a press release issued by his lawyer Sankara Nair (left), Anwar said he has instructed his lawyer to initiate legal action as he does not want "slander and lies" against him to continue.

"Despite the recent court ruling on the accusation of sexual misdemeanor contained in the book 50 Dalil as pure fabrication, Mahathir had no qualms about repeating this and has continued to defame me," he said in the statement.

"I will not allow this lie and slander to continue. Thus I have instructed by counsel to initiative legal action against Mahathir."

Mahathir, at a recent press conference, said he had sacked Anwar in 1998 because he "cannot have a sodomiser" in his cabinet.

"Imagine a gay PM ... nobody will be safe!" he told reporters after delivering a speech at a Human Rights Commission of Malaysia conference in Kuala Lumpur.

Sankara when contacted said he expects to send a letter of demand to Mahathir by Friday.

"We will ask him to retract his statement, apologise and to pay RM100 million because we feel that his statement is serious and damaging."

He said the former premier will have 14 days to respond, failing which the legal process will be initiated to file the defamation suit against him.

"We have a very strong case. The courts have vindicated my client. What is Mahathir's vitriol all about? He has to face the suit like any ordinary citizen now that he can no longer hide under a blanket of immunity as the premier, like he did last time."

Personal criticism curbed

In his statement, Anwar also said he was "shocked" to read reports on the alleged defamatory statement made by Mahathir.

"Despite the injustices I suffered: beating, imprisonment, court trial on trumped-up charges; and (the) humiliation experienced by my family under his prime ministership, I have confined my criticism of him only on policy issues.

"It never occurred to me to censure his personal and private moral failings. It is my conviction that what the public should and need to know are public policy issues and governance pertaining to people's welfare."

He reiterated his claims that his sacking from the government and Umno was part of a high-level political conspiracy and that the court had vindicated him in this regard as well.

"Despite this, Mahathir continues his baseless accusations to divert attention to his misguided policies that has harmed and caused severe damage to Malaysia, as well to deflect criticism on his corruption and human right abuses."

Anwar was initially found guilty of sodomy, but had his conviction overturned by the Federal Court last year following an appeal.

He had previously served a prison sentence for a corruption conviction. The former deputy premier had always claimed to be a victim of political conspiracy and that the charges were trumped up.

Last month, the Kuala Lumpur High Court ordered author Khalid Jafri to pay Anwar RM4.5 million for making a series of allegations, which included accusations of sodomy, made in his book 50 Dalil mengapa Anwar tak boleh jadi PM (50 Reasons why Anwar cannot be PM).

The book, published in early 1998, had sparked the downfall of Anwar.