PAS spiritual leader Nik Aziz Nik Mat is seeking to sue broadcast media TV3 and two Malay dailies - Berita Harian and Utusan Malaysia - for defamation.

Speaking to reporters at the PAS by-election operation centre in Permatang Pasir, party’s legal adviser Mohamad Hanifa Maidin blamed the trio for distorting Nik Aziz’s comments on Umno and Islam.

“I have been instructed by Tok Guru (Nik Aziz) today ... and we are sending them a notice of demand to retract and apologise for their reports within seven days,” said Mohamad Hanifa.

He was referring to the news reports attributing the Kelantan mentri besar for saying that Umno members will not go to heaven.

Mohamad Hanifa stressed that what had been reported by the media was damaging to the PAS leader’s reputation.

NONE He added that Nik Aziz will also asked for a court injunction against the three media organisations to stop them for publishing further “distortions” on the matter.

The legal adviser argued that the PAS leader had never said Umno members would not go to heaven or that the rival party practiced “Islam Palestine”.

Several media had reported Nik Aziz saying that Umno members would not be admitted to heaven because the party practices false Islamic teachings from Palestine.

While PAS has been focusing on the disbarment of Umno candidate Rohaizat Othman in the Permatang Pasir by-election campaign, BN on the other hand has been attacking the PAS spiritual leader for his allegedly ‘heaven and hell’ remarks.

Rais: He can file any number of law suits...

Meanwhile, Information, Communications and Culture Minister Rais Yatim, who visited the Permatang Pasir constituency today, said that the Nik Aziz was welcomed to pursue the law suits.

“Nik Aziz can take any number of lawsuits, perhaps longer than his turban... what matters really at the end of the day is his credibility,” said Rais.

“To say that another fraction of the society is not true Muslim or to say that he is more Islamic than the rest, it is up to the public to judge,” he said.

“He has been saying a lot of things, but I think (there are) a lot of the things he has forgotten. If he has forgotten, it is about time he remembers again,” said Rais.