Hadi in bid to strike out suit over alleged seditious remark

KUALA LUMPUR: Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang has filed an application to quash two Sabahans’ originating summons over the PAS president’s alleged seditious remark against Christians which was published in a newspaper, five years ago.

The application was filed by Abdul Hadi as the defendant through Messrs Yusfarizal Aziz and Zaid on Thursday.

Counsel Yusfarizal Yussoff, representing Abdul Hadi, said the court had set April 19 for the decision on the application.

“The court also ordered both parties to file a written submission on March 11. If there is an additional oral submission from both parties, it will also be heard on the same date (April 19),” he said after case management before High Court Judge Datuk Akhtar Tahir through Zoom application yesterday.

Abdul Hadi’s application was also made on the grounds that the suit filed by Maklin Masiau and Lawrence Jomiji Kinsil @ Maximilhian as the first and second plaintiffs, is vexatious, frivolous and an abuse of court process.

The plaintiffs filed the suit against Abdul Hadi on Dec 9, asking the court to find him guilty of violating Section 3 of the Sedition Act and a declaration that he is “unfit to hold any position in the government of Malaysia, including that of a position equivalent to a ministerial post”.

In their court filing, the two individuals claimed that Abdul Hadi had made a seditious statement in PAS newspaper Harakah against Christians and Christian missionaries on January 18, 2016.