PAS deputy president Mohamad Sabu has vowed not to press defamation charges against a witness who apologised for his police report at the former’s criminal defamation trial in Butterworth yesterday.

Popularly known as Mat Sabu, the PAS leader said he had always known the case to be “politically motivated”.

One of the first indications of a political motive, he said, was when the court ordered him to post bail of RM50,000.

However, through mitigation, his lawyer had managed to bring the sum down to RM15,000, he said.

pengukir nama johor mat sabu pas pc 060911 “When we were entering the court house, this man came up to me and said 'we are brothers',” Mat Sabu told a press conference held together with Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng.

“At first, I did not know who he was. Later I found out that he was the main witness.

“We can actually press charges for defamation but since he has apologised, I sympathise with him."

Mat Sabu also said the court proceedings are a waste of public funds.

He urged the attorney-general to drop the charge against him, sating he empathises with the other witnesses who have to testify.

“Most of them are already getting on in age but still need to attend the court case,” he said.

According to a Bernama report yesterday, Visva Nathan, 75, from Raub, Pahang, said he lodged the police report against Mat Sabu on Aug 27 last year after reading a Malay language newspaper report.

“I apologise and do not want the police to take action,” Visva told the Butterworth Sessions Court after being shown the newspaper reports and a copy of the text of the speech by Mohamad.

'AG should apologise'

Lim backed Mat Sabu’s call to the AG to withdraw the case, saying he is “shocked and disappointed” to hear how his comrade had been defamed.

guan eng meets pas representatives 240309 mat sabu Lim ( left in photo ) also urged the AG to apologise to Mat Sabu and his family for the inconvenience the police have caused them.

“It is such a sin to do this to Mat Sabu, and very evil. But even a witness has withdrawn his statement, (so) when will the AG listen? God has opened the man’s heart but the AG’s heart is still closed,” said Lim.

“The least the AG can do is uphold the rule of law by withdrawing the charge against Mat Sabu. What the AG had done is a great travesty of justice.

“It’s like reading a novel or joke but this is really happening. As a chief minister and MP, I can’t believe this how people can do this to others. They have no shame at all."

Mat Sabu is charged with defaming police personnel and their family members who had defended themselves during an attack by communist guerrillas at the Bukit Kepong police station on Feb 23, 1950.

He is alleged to have committed the offence during a public address at Pusat Asuhan Tadika Islam  Al-Fahmi, Markas Tarbiyah PAS in Padang Menora, Tasek Gelugor, between 10pm and midnight on Aug 23, 2011.

The charge under Section 500 of the Penal Code carries a two-year jail term or a fine or both upon conviction.

The court has set June 13, 16 and 17 to continue the hearing.