Former Klang MP Charles Santiago (left) says about RM1.3 million has been raised through an initiative launched by NGO Tamilar Kural Malaysia on November 2, following the court decision in the defamation trial featuring Ramasamy and Zakir. – Scoop pic, November 8, 2023
You applauded him then, help him now, Santiago urges support for Ramasamy
Crowdfund campaign has been set up to help Ramasamy make RM1.52 million defamation payment he owes Zakir Naik
Qistina Nadia Dzulqarnain
KUALA LUMPUR – DAP’s former Klang MP Charles Santiago has urged Malaysians to unite and contribute to the crowdfunding effort to assist former Penang deputy chief minister II P. Ramasamy in covering his RM1.52 million payment to preacher Zakir Naik.
Santiago said as of today, about RM1.3 million has been raised through the initiative launched by non-governmental organisation Tamilar Kural Malaysia on November 2, after Ramasamy lost the defamation suit brought by Zakir.
“We’re hoping that by Deepavali (this Sunday), we’ll have reached the necessary amount of funds. I would like to urge all Malaysians to contribute to the funds since (Ramasamy) put his life on the line and is now paying the price,” Santiago said.
“At that time (when Ramasamy criticised Zakir), people said great things and supported him (Ramasamy), but now that something has happened, people run away and say ‘who asked you to make the statement?’
“That’s not the way we should respond. We supported him then, so we must follow through and donate (to the crowdfund initiative),” he added when speaking at a press conference in Petaling Jaya here today with PKR’s Sentosa assemblyman Gunaraj George.
Applauding those who have been willing to donate, Santiago pointed out that Ramasamy is not the only figure who has been the target of civil defamation lawsuits by Zakir.
Others who have been involved in legal actions initiated by Zakir include Ipoh Barat MP M. Kulasegaran, former Bagan Dalam assemblyman Satees Muniandy, ex-Batu Uban assemblyman S. Raveentharan, and Santiago himself.
The lawsuits against Kulasegaran and Satees were settled out of court, while Raveentharan’s case is expected to be heard next year.
“What the five of us did was (to) actually voice the concerns of all Malaysians concerned about racial tensions in the country.
“(Ramasamy) gave a voice to minority communities which fear that things like this can work against the interest of minorities and exacerbate race relations in our nation,” Santiago said.
He pointed to how in his defamation case before the High Court, Judge Datuk Akhtar Tahir had found Zakir to have issued statements that could “threaten” Malaysia’s plural society.
“In my defamation case before the High Court, the court found that Zakir’s event in Kelantan on the misconception of Islam by non-Muslims was an inappropriate and unnecessary topic,” Santiago said.
“The court also agreed that Zakir’s remarks that Malaysian Chinese should be asked to leave the country could present a threat to multiracial Malaysia. In essence, the court found that Zakir could present problems to Malaysia.
“Just because (Ramasamy) has been ordered by the court to pay damages and apologise, it doesn’t mean that Zakir is free to create problems in this country,” he added.
In May this year, the high court here ruled that Santiago had defamed Zakir in a public statement made on November 25, 2019 linked to the now-defunct Liberal Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) militant group.
While Santiago was made to apologise to Zakir for the statement, Akhtar said that Santiago had not defamed Zakir in a press statement regarding Zakir’s ceramah in Kelantan on August 8, 2019 entitled ‘the misconception of Islam by the non-Muslims.’ – November 8, 2023
You applauded him then, help him now, Santiago urges support for Ramasamy
Crowdfund campaign has been set up to help Ramasamy make RM1.52 million defamation payment he owes Zakir Naik
Qistina Nadia Dzulqarnain
KUALA LUMPUR – DAP’s former Klang MP Charles Santiago has urged Malaysians to unite and contribute to the crowdfunding effort to assist former Penang deputy chief minister II P. Ramasamy in covering his RM1.52 million payment to preacher Zakir Naik.
Santiago said as of today, about RM1.3 million has been raised through the initiative launched by non-governmental organisation Tamilar Kural Malaysia on November 2, after Ramasamy lost the defamation suit brought by Zakir.
“We’re hoping that by Deepavali (this Sunday), we’ll have reached the necessary amount of funds. I would like to urge all Malaysians to contribute to the funds since (Ramasamy) put his life on the line and is now paying the price,” Santiago said.
“At that time (when Ramasamy criticised Zakir), people said great things and supported him (Ramasamy), but now that something has happened, people run away and say ‘who asked you to make the statement?’
“That’s not the way we should respond. We supported him then, so we must follow through and donate (to the crowdfund initiative),” he added when speaking at a press conference in Petaling Jaya here today with PKR’s Sentosa assemblyman Gunaraj George.
Applauding those who have been willing to donate, Santiago pointed out that Ramasamy is not the only figure who has been the target of civil defamation lawsuits by Zakir.
Others who have been involved in legal actions initiated by Zakir include Ipoh Barat MP M. Kulasegaran, former Bagan Dalam assemblyman Satees Muniandy, ex-Batu Uban assemblyman S. Raveentharan, and Santiago himself.
The lawsuits against Kulasegaran and Satees were settled out of court, while Raveentharan’s case is expected to be heard next year.
“What the five of us did was (to) actually voice the concerns of all Malaysians concerned about racial tensions in the country.
“(Ramasamy) gave a voice to minority communities which fear that things like this can work against the interest of minorities and exacerbate race relations in our nation,” Santiago said.
He pointed to how in his defamation case before the High Court, Judge Datuk Akhtar Tahir had found Zakir to have issued statements that could “threaten” Malaysia’s plural society.
“In my defamation case before the High Court, the court found that Zakir’s event in Kelantan on the misconception of Islam by non-Muslims was an inappropriate and unnecessary topic,” Santiago said.
“The court also agreed that Zakir’s remarks that Malaysian Chinese should be asked to leave the country could present a threat to multiracial Malaysia. In essence, the court found that Zakir could present problems to Malaysia.
“Just because (Ramasamy) has been ordered by the court to pay damages and apologise, it doesn’t mean that Zakir is free to create problems in this country,” he added.
In May this year, the high court here ruled that Santiago had defamed Zakir in a public statement made on November 25, 2019 linked to the now-defunct Liberal Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) militant group.
While Santiago was made to apologise to Zakir for the statement, Akhtar said that Santiago had not defamed Zakir in a press statement regarding Zakir’s ceramah in Kelantan on August 8, 2019 entitled ‘the misconception of Islam by the non-Muslims.’ – November 8, 2023
AGREE....and those DAP who have BECOME MCA2....You will be send packing........When is Sedition LAW REPEL...RATIFY ICC and ICEARD.....END RACISM DISCRIMINATION OR GO TO HELL WITH MALAYSIAL ECONOMIC DAMNATION!!
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