Lay off, lawyers for Muslim dog handler warn Jakim
Latheefa (left) and Surendran say Jakim has acted beyond its authority.
Elizabeth Zachariah, TMI
Lawyers for the Muslim dog handler have expressed shock at what Jakim had to say about the controversy, calling it “unlawful”.
Yesterday, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Jamil Khir Baharom announced that Jakim has found that the YouTube clip of Maznah Mohd Yusof and her three dogs which went viral online was insulting to Muslims.
He had directed the Muslim authority to relay its findings to the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) for further action.
Maznah’s lawyers, Latheefa Koya and N. Surendran, responded that Jakim had no authority to issue such a statement, noting that it had brazenly and unlawfully interfered with the judiciary system.
They criticised Jamil Khir for supporting Jakim’s stand on the issue and for threatening to go to the MCMC with their declaration, saying that his actions showed that he was “ignorant and indifferent” to the roles of Jakim.
“Jakim has acted beyond its authority and in excess of its jurisdiction,” they said in a statement today.
They pointed out that Jakim’s declaration is equivalent to finding Maznah guilty for posting the video.
“In this country only the judiciary has the power to pronounce the guilt or innocence of a citizen,” they said, adding that Jakim was merely an administrative body with no powers to make such a statement.
