Umno sues PAS over Jais raid claim
Selangor Umno today filed a civil suit against PAS secretary-general Mustafa Ali and five others over the latter’s claim that Umno was involved in the controversial raid by state Islamic officials on a church last month.
Selangor Umno today filed a civil suit against PAS secretary-general Mustafa Ali and five others over the latter’s claim that Umno was involved in the controversial raid by state Islamic officials on a church last month.
It is seeking RM10 million from each of the respondents in damages over the allegedly libellous statement made by Mustafa - as published in PAS’ party organ Harakah - and a for written apology to be published in the fortnightly paper.
The other respondents are PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang, his deputy Mohamad Sabu, Harakah’s printer Angkatan Edaran Ent Sdn Bhd, Harakah editor-in-chief Ahmad Lutfi Othman and reporter Khairul Azlam Mohamad.
However, Hadi and Mohamad are considered as one respondent in the suit, as they are both representing PAS as the party’s top leaders.
Selangor Umno liaison committee secretary Mohd Zin Mohamed (right), who filed the suit on behalf of his party, said Umno, as the backbone of the ruling coalition, has a responsibility to defend itself from such allegations in the interest of national harmony and peace.
“It is clear that Umno is an Islamic and Malay party that stands for national interests. We respect and never stopped others from practising their faiths,” Zin told a press conference after filing the suit at the High Court in Shah Alam.
He said the allegedly “malicious” statement made by Mustafa could make the Christian community in Malaysia angry and hate Umno.
Zin said Umno had given ample notice for Mustafa to retract his statement and apologise.
“We gave them open notice. In the spirit of Ramadan, we hoped they were willing to apologise and we were ready to accept (their apology).
“But, as we are all aware, even Mustafa Ali said ‘see you in court’. So it has come to this,” Zin said.
In Harakah’s Aug 19-21 edition, Mustafa was quoted as saying Umno had a hand in the Selangor Islamic Affairs Deparment’s (Jais) raid on a dinner function hosted by the Damansara Utama Methodist Church (DUMC) on Aug 3.
The article quoted Mustafa as saying that he had “inside information” from Jais officials that there were Umno “elements” that played a role in the Jais raid.
