'Home Ministry's Grade A Shiism proof is nonsense'

Lawyer Mohamed Hanipa Maidin has rubbished the Home Ministry's claim that it possesses Grade 'A' evidence on PAS deputy president Mohamad Sabu's alleged links with Shiism.

"It's nonsense. grade 'A' or grade 'B' evidence is not for us to decide. It is for the court to decide," Hanipa told a press conference at the PAS headquarters in Kuala Lumpur this afternoon.

Hanipa (right) is in the team of lawyers who will be filing a defamation lawsuit on behalf of Mohamad, who is widely known as Mat Sabu, against Home Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

Zahid, who is also an Umno vice-president, had during the Umno general assembly accused Mat Sabu of being a Shiism adherent and promised to produce proof.

Subsequently, on Dec 12, Home Ministry secretary-general Abdul Rahim Mohamad Radzi released "10 evidences" to back the claim, one of these being that Mat Sabu was an admirer of Iranian revolution leader Ayatollah Khomeni.

Then, on Dec 14, Home Ministry religious officer Zamihan Mat Zain Al Ghari, said, after the 10 "evidences" were ridiculed, that these were merely "Grade B proof".

Ministry: Mat Sabu has to prove he has no links

Zamihan said the ministry was still withholding the Grade 'A' evidence and that the onus was on Mat Sabu to prove he had no links with Shiism.

However, Hanipa questioned the Home Minisry's logic, stating that the burden of proof should be on the accuser.

He added that Mat Sabu had no need to respond to the accusations.

"Even if there are 10 or 20 'evidences', we will fight and the rival is Zahid Hamidi, not government officers. He is the real culprit... There was no provocation before this. All of a sudden, this Shiism issue arose.

"Zahid's accusation is defamatory and 100 or 200 'evidences' will make no difference," Hanipa said.

The vast majority of Muslims in Malaysia follow the Sunni school of thought and the government has declared Shiism, which is another school of thought, as deviant.