Mashitah Files Defamation Suit Against NGO Over Myanmar Human Trafficking Allegations

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 13 (Bernama) -- Former Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Dr Mashitah Ibrahim filed a defamation suit against a non-profit organisation (NGO) and two individuals over allegations connecting her to a human trafficking syndicate in Myanmar.

Mashitah, 60, filed the suit through Messrs Akberdin & Co at the Shah Alam High Court, on Sept 9. She named Malaysian International Humanitarian Organisation (MHO) chairman Datuk Hishamuddin Hashim, 45; MHO Committee member, Azirul Syafiq Sazali, 29; and the organisation as the first to third defendants.

In her statement of claim, the former Member of Parliament for Baling alleged that Hishamuddin, via his Facebook account, uploaded video clips of a media statement with the caption ‘Sidang Media Berkaitan Aduan Penglibatan Ahli Politik Malaysia Di Dalam Sindiket Pemerdagangan Manusia Berpusat Di Myanmar,’ made by the three defendants, on a Facebook account named ‘Hishamuddin Hashim’ on Aug 28, which contained defamatory statements against the plaintiff.

She further claims that on the same day (Aug 28), Azirul Syafiq and MHO posted a written media statement, prepared by Hishamuddin and dated Aug 26, on MHO's Facebook account and Azirul Syafiq's TikTok account. This statement also contained defamatory remarks.

Mashitah added that the following day (Aug 29), Hishamuddin uploaded an edited video clip with the caption ‘Sidang Media berkenaan penglibatan bekas Timbalan Menteri dengan syarikat Dongmei Group yang merupakan antara sindiket pemerdagangan manusia & scam paling besar di Myawaddy Myanmar.’

She said that during a press statement shown in the video, displayed several pictures in which they blurred her face.

Additionally, Mashitah alleged that Hishamuddin and MHO uploaded slanderous remarks in a post on Facebook belonging to the two defendants on Sept 3.

The plaintiff claimed that these defamatory statements implied that she and her husband, Datuk Abdul Shakor Abu Bakar, were directly involved with Dongmei Group, a company allegedly engaged in human trafficking, gambling, and drug-related criminal activities both in Myanmar and internationally.

Mashitah further alleged that the false accusations suggested she and her husband were the masterminds of a human trafficking syndicate in Myanmar with connections to a criminal organisation known as 14K.

She also claimed that the defamatory statements had adversely affected her reputation and status as a public figure, senior politician, and businesswoman.

As a result, the plaintiff is demanding an unequivocal apology from the defendants and for them to take down the alleged defamatory posts seven days after the judgment. She is also seeking general, compensatory, aggravated, and exemplary damages.

Meanwhile, Datuk Akberdin Abdul Kader, representing Mashitah, confirmed to Bernama that the suit was served to the three defendants today, and the court has scheduled the case management for Sept 17.

-- BERNAMA