PAS deputy president Mohamad Sabu has filed a lawsuit against Malay daily Utusan Malaysia for allegedly defaming him by making it out that he had praised a Malayan communist.

The suit, filed in the High Court in Kuala Lumpur this morning, names group editor-in-chief Abdul Aziz Ishak as the first defendant and publisher Utusan Melayu (M) Bhd as the second defendant.

The suit comes more than two weeks after Mat Sabu said he was considering legal action against the Umno-owned daily.

rafidah aziz kuala kangsar parliament seat court case 040708 ahmad jamaluddin and hanipa "We are seeking general damages, exemplary damages and aggravated damages with costs. We also want an apology for three days and for Utusan to retract the stories," said PAS lawyer Mohamed Hanipa Maidin (right in photo) .

The suit cites an article published on Aug 27 describing Muhammed Indera, better known as Mat Indera, as a communist, after Mat Sabu had praised him as a freedom fighter in a speech delivered in Penang on Aug 21.

"...we include two other articles (to back the claim) - one on Aug 28 where (national hero) Kanang Langkau described Mat Sabu as the real communist, and a speech by Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin in which Mat Sabu is (said to have) glorified the cruelty of communists," Hanipa told a press conference in Kuala Lumpur this afternoon.

He said lawsuits would similarly be filed against Muhyiddin and former police chief Musa Hassan for statements against Mat Sabu on the same issue.

Musa, in a statement to Utusan, had described Mat Sabu as a traitor and a terrorist.

Safety of family involved

Mat Sabu said the “defamatory reports” have affected the safety of his family.

mat sabu pc with salleh man 190811 "I will only defend myself against accusations that I am a communist or terrorist, or (those that question) my faith. Accusations such as cowardice ...are political (and) we can answer (those) through the newspapers.

"But these defamatory statements can affect the safety of my family. I have to take legal action against those who defame me.”

Hanipa said threats to use the Internal Security Act or to revoke Mat Sabu’s citizenship would be cited as factors in the legal action.

"If Muhyiddin had been willing to debate with Mat Sabu, we would had been more inclined to have the debate, rather than go to court.

"(Muhiyddin) has said that he will leave it to the history experts. But if he is saying that, then he should not be making statements as well,” he added.

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