Parti Amanah Negara (Amanah) is ready to face PAS in court and defend its president, Mohamad Sabu, over his alleged remark linking the Islamist party to Isis and other militant movements.

Amanah legal bureau chief Hanipa Maidin said in a statement today the party respects the right of anybody, including PAS, to sue any of its leaders.

"But we wish to remind PAS that Amanah never treats PAS as its political enemy," said Hanipa, the MP for Sepang who formerly headed the PAS legal bureau.

"Being the chairperson of Amanah's legal bureau, I have formed a legal team to defend Amanah's president in the event PAS is serious in bringing this matter to court," he said in response to Penang PAS secretary Iszuree Ibrahim.

However, Hanipa reminded his former colleagues that Amanah also reserves its right to file a counter-claim over allegations made by PAS leaders, if the case goes to court.

Iszuree was reported as saying yesterday that Penang PAS is waiting for the decision from its central leaders before proceeding to initiate legal action against Mohamad, who is widely referred to as Mat Sabu.

"The decision cannot be finalised at the state level due to certain limitations," Iszuree is quoted as saying by Berita Harian .

Mat Sabu made the remark in an interview with The Malaysian Insider earlier this month.

Last Saturday, he also said there was no need for him to retract his statement, even though PAS has lodged a police report on the matter.