Maria sues Jamal for defamation
She says politician uttered slanderous words against Bersih
KUALA LUMPUR: Bersih 2.0 chairman Maria Chin Abdullah has filed a suit against politician Datuk Jamal Md Yunos for linking the Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections with the Islamic State (IS) militant group.
Maria claimed that Jamal falsely uttered slanderous words against Bersih, saying that it was an agent of IS, during a press conference at the Putra World Trade Centre’s compound on Sept 28.
Maria said Jamal, who is also the president of a Malay NGOs coalition and Sungai Besar Umno division chief, also uttered similar slanderous words against Bersih to reporters at the Bukit Aman police headquarters compound on Oct 4.
The statements were published by the print media and various online news portals.
Speaking after filing the suit at the High Court civil registry yesterday, her lead counsel N. Surendran said the words uttered by Jamal were “clear defamation” as Maria is the chairman of Bersih.
“We will expose all these allegations and lies against our client,” said Surendran, who was accompanied by his co-counsel Melissa Sasidaran.
In the statement of claim, Maria said it caused her reputation and good name to be tarnished.
Among others, Maria said the words carried the meaning that as she abetted the terrorist group, criminal and legal action should be taken against her.
She had also sent a letter of demand through her solicitor to Jamal on Oct 4, asking for a retraction and an apology over the slanderous words.
However, she said it was reported that Jamal had torn the letter and flushed it down the toilet bowl at the Umno building in Shah Alam on the following day.
Maria is seeking general and aggravated damages, as well as an injunction to stop Jamal from uttering or publishing similar words, either verbally, in print media or through the Internet.