KUALA LUMPUR (THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK) - Former Malaysian prime minister Najib Razak is demanding an apology and RM10 million (S$3.3 million) in damages from former attorney general Tommy Thomas over allegations made in a memoir.

In a letter of demand (LOD) which was served through law firm Shafee & Co and sighted by The Star, it said that Tan Sri Thomas had published a book containing "Chapter 42 - Altantuya", where serious defamatory statements against Najib were made.

The letter dated Tuesday (Feb 2) was signed by Najib's lawyer, Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah.

It claimed that in the chapter, Mr Thomas had conveyed a message to his readers that irrespective of the decisions of the courts, Najib was somehow involved in the murder of Mongolian Altantuya Shaariibuu.

Ms Altantuya, who was 28, was shot and her body blown up with explosives in a gruesome murder in 2006 by police commandoes.

The LOD followed the release of Mr Thomas' memoir on Sunday titled My Story: Justice In The Wilderness.

Mr Thomas was the Malaysian Attorney-General during the short 22-month Pakatan Harapan rule until February last year.

"Your impugned statements as stated above of our client were grossly negligent, reckless, irresponsible, deliberate, malicious and aimed to lower our client's esteem and good reputation in the eyes of the public and further expose our client to public hatred, scorn, odium, contempt and ridicule," the lawyer's letter said.

"Your impugned statements of our client portraying him as a murderer by direct inference and innuendo are wholly untrue, false, frivolous, vexatious and devoid of substance nor evidence," it added.

The letter also said Mr Thomas' statements on Najib in the book were clearly motivated by mala fide and a selfish pursuit of seeking cheap publicity fuelled by "ego, sensationalism, and profiteering".

It said that Mr Thomas' statements amounted to serious libel of Najib and had caused him considerable distress and embarrassment.

It demanded an apology from Mr Thomas to be published in newspapers of Najib's choice, an undertaking by Mr Thomas not to repeat the allegations and comments in the book, and RM10 million in damages for the injury caused to Najib's reputation.

The LOD sought a reply from Mr Thomas by noon on Friday, failing which a legal action for libel would be initiated.