Teresa sends legal notice to Umno Youth chief, seeks RM25m in damages
Published: Sep 11, 2024 5:25 PM
DAP MP Teresa Kok has issued a letter of demand to Umno Youth chief Dr Muhamad Akmal Saleh over his remarks about her regarding the halal certification issue and sought RM25 million in damages.
In the notice sent by her counsel Sankara Nair and Partners, Kok also demanded Akmal to pay for all legal costs and expenses that arise with the suit.
“We await your response without delay.
“If our client does not receive any satisfactory response from you within seven working days from the date of receipt of this notice, our instructions are to initiate legal action with no further reference to you,” the notice read.
Yesterday, the Seputeh lawmaker was questioned by the police after saying the government’s proposal to make halal certification mandatory for restaurants and food companies that do not serve pork and alcohol would burden businesses and could make Malaysia an object of ridicule.
In reply, Akmal slammed Kok as an “old Nyonya” who should not have interfered in Islamic affairs and said he would ask the government to prepare a non-halal logo to stick to her forehead.
Kok, who is a DAP vice-chairperson, later clarified that she was exercising her responsibility as an elected lawmaker by voicing out problems faced by the people and that she had no opportunity to bring the matter through internal channels as Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim suggested.
‘Retract, apologise for remarks’
According to the notice, Akmal’s words made Kok seem like a racist person who does not respect Islam and does not have any knowledge about the halal certification.
He also allegedly painted her as an insensitive and ignorant person who is against government policies regarding Islamic practices and religion, as well as an individual who harms the peace and harmony of the nation, and an “enemy of the state” who is disloyal to the country.
“It is to our client’s dismay that even with her clarification being published, you have been negligent, reckless, deliberate, malicious, and have failed to take down and/or retract the impugned slanderous and/or the impugned libellous words.
“As a result of your failure, negligence, and malicious intent in not retracting the defamatory statements even after our client released and/or published the said clarification, you have subjected our client to significant and/or humiliating pressure from the community and have caused our client to be subjected to an investigation by the police,” read the notice.
As such, Kok had no choice but to take legal action against Akmal to defend her reputation and honour, it added.
Among others, Kok demanded Akmal to immediately and unequivocally retract his remarks, publish an unconditional and irrevocable apology in a manner and medium to be decided by Kok and her lawyers, and make a written undertaking to not repeat any further allegations or comments in the likes of the impugned slanderous/libellous words.
In reply to Kok’s legal notice, Akmal said he would face her in court.
“Ok, Nyonya. We meet in court. No fear, no surrender,” he wrote on Facebook.
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