PARLIAMENT | Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil today said claims of slander or false allegations by a politician should be seen as an individual issue rather than the party they represent.
Fahmi (above) in his ministry’s winding-up speech addressed related issues raised during debates of the royal address.
“The issue (of slander) is cross-partisan. By right all of us as lawmakers should set an example.
“I was moved by a recent sermon (khutbah) in Perak that reminded us of the importance for us to avoid sharing slander.
“So I hope that all lawmakers will verify (information) before sharing anything... Pastikan dulu seseorang itu benar-benar sepu(pu) (make sure they are really cousins),” said Fahmi in a subtle jab at Siti Mastura Muhammad (PN-Kepala Batas).
Last December, PAS organised a donation drive to help Mastura pay RM825,000 in damages to three DAP leaders, after she lost a defamation case for claiming relations between Lim Kit Siang and Lim Guan Eng to the Communist Party of Malaya (CPM) leader Chin Peng and that Teresa Kok was also related to the Lims.
‘How fast?’
Fahmi was responding to RSN Rayer (Harapan-Jelutong) and Ahmad Fadhli Shaari (PN-Pasir Mas) who engaged in a brief exchange over politicians ordered to pay compensation after a court found them guilty of defamation.
Rayer had asked “how fast” can action be taken against speeches that contained allegedly slanderous elements, citing an example of Perak PAS commissioner Razman Zakaria’s claims against Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh.
“My question is, we see the opposition, particularly from PAS, they often repeat slanders despite being sued repeatedly.
“It is strange how they managed to raise funds to settle the compensation (ordered by the court),” said Rayer who argued that DAP had been repeated targets of alleged slanders by PAS leaders.
Fadhli, in response to Rayer, insisted that the DAP had in the past also launched similar fundraisers to assist their own leaders.
The PAS information chief also cited past incidents involving other Harapan leaders, for example, a 2017 donation drive by Economy Minister Rafizi Ramli to pay for damages and costs related to the National Feedlot Corporation (NFC) defamation suit.
“So issues of slander and allegations are not about any party, but about the individual,” stressed Fadhli who asked if Fahmi agreed with his view.
“As I have said, this issue of slander is cross-partisan.
“But it can’t be denied that a number of leaders from a certain party, if we see, collect the information, they often have to pay fines for slander,” said Fahmi.
Overall, he said the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission has to date ordered for removal of 24,741 fake content and 6,840 content that touches on race, religion and royalty. - FMT
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