Defamatory Words Damaged My Reputation As MP, Minister - Fahmi

KUALA LUMPUR, April 7 (Bernama) -- Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil told the High Court here today that defamatory words made by independent preacher Ahmad Dusuki Abd Rani had falsely painted him in a bad light in the public eye and tarnished his reputation as a Member of Parliament and a Cabinet Minister.

Fahmi, 45, said many other comments similarly accused him, based on a lie posted by Ahmad Dusuki, urging the authorities to take action.

“It has undermined my credibility not only as a public figure but also as a public servant, wherein I am elected to serve the people’s interests. I was condemned and humiliated by the public, and as a result, I have suffered irreparable loss and damage to my reputation.” 

The Lembah Pantai MP said this in his witness statement during the hearing of his defamation lawsuit against Ahmad Dusuki over his Facebook and Instagram posts in 2023, before Judge Datuk Raja Ahmad Mohzanuddin Shah Raja Mohzan.

Fahmi said the deliberate lie posted by Ahmad Dusuki on his Facebook page was done with malice to injure his reputation, and it does not have an iota of truth to it.

“As a result, my reputation has been tarnished in the eyes of the public. This is directly damaging to my career as a politician. Consequently, I have replied to the said allegations to uphold the truth,” he explained.

According to Fahmi, he was shocked and upset that his actions in educating the public regarding a social issue were overturned by a false narrative, accusing him of abusing a place of worship for political gain, and going against not only Syariah laws in place but also the command of the Sultan of Selangor.

“This court is able to read through the abusive comments which have been thrown at me on the Facebook post by the defendant. Although I do believe that the public has their own opinion, the opinions in said abusive comments were fuelled by the false statement in the defendant’s post,” he said.

Fahmi further clarified that the post was completely untrue, as he did not deliver any political speech or religious talk that would have required a teaching permit (tauliah) at the mosque.

“I have been open to the public in my response, and assured that the pictures were taken when I had stopped at the said mosque to perform my obligatory prayers and was merely invited to spontaneously give a brief explanation as to the issue of a concert involving the band known as The 1975. This explanation can be verified by those who were present at the mosque on that day,” he said.

Fahmi also noted that he had fully cooperated with investigations conducted by the Selangor Islamic Religious Council (MAIS) and the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM), in which both authorities decided to take no further action as he did not breach any provisions under the Syariah laws of Selangor.

“Furthermore, there have been clear and direct statements made by two authoritative bodies (PDRM and MAIS) which rebut the defendant’s post and yet, the defendant has not retracted his statement by deleting the said post, and has not apologised for lying about me to the public,” said Fahmi, who completed his testimony for today’s proceedings.

Yesterday, Fahmi’s defamation suit against a Facebook user called ‘N13 Kuang’, Mohd Fauzan Madzlan and Wan Muhammad Azri Wan Deris, or ‘Papagomo’, over the same issue was settled in the High Court here.

According to his statement of claim filed on Sept 5, 2023, Fahmi alleges Ahmad Dusuki of publishing defamatory statements accusing him of misusing a place of worship, namely a mosque, for election campaigning purposes and acting contrary to the decrees and orders of the Sultan of Selangor.

Fahmi claims that the defamatory statements were published on Ahmad Dusuki’s Facebook and Instagram accounts on July 31, 2023. 

According to Fahmi, defendants' statements are baseless and supported by confirmation from the Selangor Islamic Religious Council that he made no political speech, and now he is seeking damages and an injunction to prevent all defendants from repeating or causing the republication of the defamatory statements.

The trial continues tomorrow.

-- BERNAMA