Keadilan Youth today lodged a police against its former information secretary Nordin Ahmad over his statement to the media that there were attempts within the party in 1999 to instigate the armed forces to take part in the reformasi movement to topple the government.

Its vice president Shamsul Iskandar Mohd Akin lodged the report at the Dang Wangi police station this afternoon seeking an investigation into Nordin's allegations against the party which published in the front page of Berita Harian on Wednesday.

He was accompanied by Youth exco members Badrul Hisham Shahrin, Sanusi Abdullah and 20 other Keadilan members.

When contacted today, Shamsul hoped that the police would conduct a thorough and fair investigation and in the event that the allegations are proven correct, action must be taken against Nordin for concealing information relating to an offence.

"Under Section 118 of the Penal Code, it is an offence to conceal any plan to commit an offence punishable with life imprisonment and death sentence. So if indeed there was an attempt to topple the government through illegal means, Nordin should have reported it to the police and failure to do so is an offence," he said.

However, he added, if the allegation is proven false, Nordin must be charged with defamation under Section 499 of the Penal Code.

"We want him to be responsible for his statements. One not should be allowed to make such serious allegations without basis," he said.

No decision to report ex-navy chief

Shamsul, also a lawyer, said the party strongly denies any link with militant activities and supports the principle of democracy as stated in the Federal Constitution.

Asked if a similar police report would be lodged against retired naval chief Abu Bakar Jamal who told Utusan Malaysia recently that he was invited by the reformasi activists to take part in the movement to topple the government, Shamsul said they have yet to decide on the matter.

Nordin who left Keadilan in 2000 during the height of the Teluk Kemang by-election campaign, told the Malay daily that there was a plan by Keadilan members to incite the armed forces to join the reformasi activists to topple the government.

He claimed that he heard the discussion about the plan while travelling in a car from Malacca with four ex-commandos in 1999.

Following the report, Keadilan Youth vice president Muhammad Zahid Mat Arip claimed that Nordin had been paid to make the statement.

Zahid also claimed that the statement was made in bad faith to smear the party's image and that the agenda was a platform for Defence Minister Najib Tun Razak to gain political mileage.