Galas by-election candidate Dr Zulkefli Mohamad from PAS has threatened legal action against Umno party's organ for defamation.

Last week, shortly after PAS had officially announced its by-election candidate, Umno-Online , quoting several pro Umno blogs, had insinuated that he had been caught committing khalwat before.

Khalwat is committed when a man is found with one or more than one woman, who is not his wife or relative, in a situation that can cause suspicion of illicit activity.

NONE According to a report by Harakah Daily , Zulkefli ( right ) said that Umno-Online had "purposely" intended defame him and he warned, if the accusations were not retracted, he would not hesitate to proceed to take action against the website.

"First I want the allegation on Umno-Online to be dropped but if they do not comply I will proceed on the next course of action," said Zulkefli in Gua Musang yesterday.

‘Deliberately fabricated'

Also present at the press conference were Pas election director Abdul Halim Abdul Rahman, Galas by-election machinery operations advisor for Abdul Rahim Wan Abdullah and lawyer Abu Daud Wan Abdul Rahim from Azmi & Co.

Zulkefli, who is also the Gua Musang PAS acting chief, had earlier rubbished the allegations and claimed that the woman in question, Ramlelah Mat Jusoh was actually his mother and that his wife is Zainab Jalar.

In a text message to Malaysiakini a couple of days ago he had said:

"This is outright slander. You can check with the state religious department in Kelantan or anywhere in Malaysia.

"Ramelah was actually my mother, and in the cases of khalwat they should have checked with state Islamic department or the Syariah Court to be certain, and (with regards to this accusation), I vehemently deny it," said Zulkefli to Harakah Daily .

"Actually there is no real issue here. It's all just slander," he said.

Meanwhile, Abdul Halim, in Zulkefli's defence also slammed that the allegations had no foundation what so ever.

"It was deliberately fabricated," he said.