Play fair when you know that the person you are commenting about would not be able to respond — Hafiz Hassan

Play fair when you know that the person you are commenting about would not be able to respond — Hafiz Hassan


Sunday, 12 Jan 2025 9:05 AM MYT


JANUARY 12 — Two police reports have now been lodged against former health minister Khairy Jamaluddin following his remarks on a document regarding former prime minister Najib Razak’s purported house arrest.

The reports were lodged by Suraya Yaacob, the political secretary to Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Azalina Othman Said and Nor Azrina Surip, the political secretary to Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Federal Territories) Dr Zaliha Mustafa.


The reports were lodged separately in Putrajaya and Sentul on Friday.



Two police reports have now been lodged against former health minister Khairy Jamaluddin following his remarks on a document regarding former prime minister Najib Razak’s purported house arrest. — Picture by Sayuti Zainudin




In the reports, Suraya and Nor Azrina stated that Khairy’s remarks linking the two ministers were false, defamatory, and misleading, causing unease and panic among the public to the extent that it could threaten the country’s peace.


“The use of the word ‘complicit’ is excessive because it means being involved or associated with illegal or unethical acts. It also implies that (Azalina) knowingly helped, supported, or allowed the illegal act to take place,” said Suraya.

One may say that Khairy is entitled to his comments, but the two ministers are also entitled to say the comments are excessive and to lodge a police report against Khairy.

Whether the comments are criminal in nature or otherwise, it is for the police to say and proceed to investigate if it is seizable in nature. If it appears to the police that there is no sufficient ground for proceeding, the police “shall not do so.” [Section 110(1)(b) of the Criminal Procedure Code]

The Minister at the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform) — that is, Azalina — is named as the fifth respondent in Najib’s application for judicial review.

As a legal person, and like the current Attorney General and his predecessor who are keeping mum, she knows she should not be commenting in public as it would be sub judice.

Khairy should know too as a former minister.

So, Khairy shouldn’t comment the way he did when he knew, and knows, that Azalina would, and will not, be able to respond.

Play fair.