The Federal Territory Islamic Religious Council (MAIWP) is paying the legal costs for three respondents named in the qazaf claim by Permatang Pauh MP and Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim.

MAIWP chief executive officer Dr Muhammad Yamin Ismail said the cost is being borne because the three, Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Jamil Khir Baharom, Federal Territory Religious Department director Che Mat Che Ali and Federal Territory syarie chief prosecutor Shamsuddin Hussain are civil servants.

"Thus, it is the responsibility of MAIWP, as the authority on Islamic religion, to bear the cost of defending any legal action against them," Muhammad Yamin said in a statement today.

He said that MAIWP had a special allocation from the government grant to pay for their legal costs in the case from 1993 to 2011, with the amount received amounting to RM11 million, including RM700,000 in 2010 and RM500,000 in 2011.

"The action brought by the MP for Permatang Pauh is the main cause for the three respondents being dragged into the dispute, whereas the allegation by the MP concerned is totally unfounded, as decided by the Syariah High Court," he said.

Muhammad Yamin made the comment when responding to a report in the Harakah that said Jamil Khir had misappropriated zakat funds to pay for his legal costs in the case.

- Bernama