LCS issue: Woman sues Rafizi for public apology

LCS issue: Woman sues Rafizi for public apology

Published: Jul 16, 2024 2:16 PM


Economy Minister Rafizi Ramli was hauled to court for a public apology over an allegation that a woman was the wife of a former minister linked to the littoral combat ship (LCS) issue.

However, the outspoken politician is relying on the defence of justification (willing to prove a statement in court), qualified privilege, and fair comment, against the defamation suit by Zainab Mohd Salleh.

The civil action came up for case management before the Kuala Lumpur High Court this morning. A full trial has been fixed from March 30 to April 1, 2026.

Zainab is suing over an allegation that she is the wife of Abdul Latiff Ahmad, a former minister in the Prime Minister’s Department who was targeted by Rafizi (above) in a series of online posts about the LCS issue in 2022.

The plaintiff rubbished the claim as untrue, seeking a court order to compel Rafizi to make a public apology in several newspapers and social media platforms.

She is also seeking several other reliefs, among them for an injunction to deter Rafizi from further issuing allegedly defamatory statements, as well as unspecified general, aggravated and exemplary damages.

Latiff-Zainab purported connection

In August 2022, in his hunt for so-called “big sharks” involved in the LCS scandal, Rafizi claimed that Latiff was involved in it through two offshore companies that Zainab allegedly controlled.

Rafizi claimed that information about the companies’ offshore status and Zainab was first leaked by whistleblowers involved in the Panama Papers and Paradise Papers projects.

He also alleged that the purported connection between Latiff and Zainab was recorded in internal probe papers on the LCS scandal.

However, Latiff in an immediate response countered that Zainab was not his wife.

Through her letter of demand to Rafizi dated March 23 last year, Zainab denied being Latiff’s wife and issued a 14-day apology ultimatum to the lawmaker.

She claimed the Pandan MP published 13 defamatory statements online between Aug 22 and Nov 1, 2022.

She claimed that Rafizi made the statements with a political motive due to the 15th general election and he never tried to contact her before making the allegation.

However, in response to the legal letter, Rafizi declined Zainab’s ultimatum to apologise, as he claimed he was not targeting her but the major issue of the purportedly improper way the LCS contract was awarded by the past government.

She then filed the lawsuit in December last year.

Zainab is represented by law firm Yusfarizal, Aziz & Zaid.

Law firm Gan, Ho & Razlan is acting for Rafizi.