KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 11 — Umno Youth chief Dr Muhamad Akmal Saleh will face Seputeh MP Teresa Kok in court after she issued a legal notice demanding RM25 million in damages for his remarks over her comments on the halal certification issue.
Kok’s legal team from Sankara Nair and Partners sent the letter of demand, which also called for Akmal to cover all legal costs arising from the suit, according to a Malaysiakini report.
In response, Akmal took to Facebook in reply to the report, writing: “Ok, Nyonya. We meet in court. No fear, no surrender.”
The Seputeh MP’s notice states that Akmal’s comments portrayed her as a racist who disrespects Islam and is against government policies on Islamic practices.
Kok’s lawyers wrote, “It is to our client’s dismay that even with her clarification being published, you have been negligent, reckless, deliberate, malicious, and have failed to take down and/or retract the impugned slanderous and/or the impugned libellous words.
The letter adds that the Umno Youth chief’s remarks subjected Kok to significant public pressure and led to a police investigation.
Kok demanded an immediate retraction, an unconditional apology, and a written undertaking from Akmal not to repeat the defamatory statements.
“If our client does not receive any satisfactory response from you within seven working days from the date of receipt of this notice, our instructions are to initiate legal action with no further reference to you,” the notice read.
Akmal’s remarks came after Kok voiced concerns that mandatory halal certification for restaurants and food companies that don’t serve pork or alcohol could burden businesses and lead to ridicule.
Akmal responded by calling Kok an “old Nyonya” and suggested that a non-halal logo be placed on her forehead.
Kok, who is also the DAP vice-chair person, clarified that she was raising legitimate concerns on behalf of the public, saying, “I had no opportunity to bring the matter through internal channels as Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim suggested.”
The Seputeh MP had commented on September 6, responding to a proposal by Religious Affairs Minister Na’im Mokhtar to mandate halal certification for all restaurants and food businesses, except those serving pork or alcohol.
Kok said making halal certification mandatory would burden small businesses and increase administrative costs and increase operating difficulties.
She had proposed a review of the mandatory halal certification proposal, saying that it should remain voluntary for businesses to obtain halal certificates based on market demands.
