A member of the Shiite sect is suing the Selangor Islamic Department (Jais), its former director Muhammad Khusrin Munawi and Malay language daily Utusan Malaysia for defamation.

Mohd Kamilzuhairi Abdul Aziz, a director of Ar Ridha, a non-governmental organisation for shiite followers filed the summons at the Kuala Lumpur High Court through Mohamed Hanipa & Associates yesterday.

Kamilzuhairi is claiming damages and an apology for the "defamatory" statement issued by Khusrin, who is now the Selangor state secretary on Dec 15 last year and Utusan for publishing it the next day.

He demands a retraction and apology from Khusrin; both to be published on the front page of the paper for three days.

NONEIn the summons documents, made available to Malaysiakini, Kamilzuhairi cited Khusrin as allegedly saying that Jais had obtained enough evidence to incriminate some 200 arrested at a social gathering last December as being "hardcore" followers of the shiite teaching.

Among others Khusrin (left) had also allegedly said that shiite teachings could threaten national security because the "fanatics" consider other Muslim sects as infidel.

The former Jais director had also described the teaching as being deviant, according to Kamilzuhairi.

National security threat accusation

Khusrin purportedly delivered the remarks during the time when the minority Shiite community was under fire for allegedly threatening national security with around 200 of them arrested last December, some charged in a religious court are still awaiting trial.

According to the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) website, the Shiite population of the country is an estimated 2,000.

The government considers only the Sunni denomination to be legal in Malaysia which is the world's largest branch of Islam followed by the Shiia.

Kamilzuhari said that the original meaning and the words are defamatory of him as they insinuated that as a shiite, he is considered infidel by other Muslims and followers of shiite teaching should be killed as the teachings were far more dangerous than deviant variety.

"The plaintiff had to bear with shame and disgrace following the report as well as embarrassment and suffering in terms of dignity, credibility and reputation because the plaintiff was humiliated, condemned, ridiculed, scorned and viewed as a scum in the society," the summons read.

Besides an apology, Kamilzuhairi is also asking for general damages, exemplary damages, aggravated damages, cost and other forms of relief considered appropriate by the court.