Despite apology, Azmin says will sue party paper, activist

(MM) – PKR deputy president Azmin Ali is following through with threats to sue two Suara Keadilan editors and activist Hishamuddin Rais over a February 11 article.

Azmin said that while the two editors of the PKR mouthpiece, Najib Hashim and Zulkiflee Anwar Haque (Zunar), responded to his letter of demand sent a fortnight ago and issued an apology, the activist did not.

The Gombak MP said he must proceed with the lawsuit now in order to clear his name.

“My lawyer is filing the suit this week, after the two weeks’ notice given via the letter of demand has expired,” Azmin told The Malay Mail Online in a text message yesterday.

Azmin alleged that the article is question was malicious and defamatory, and that both Najib and Zunar’s responses were not adequate.

He also said that he has informed PKR’s political bureau regarding the matter on Tuesday.

Last week, PKR secretary-general Datuk Saifuddin Nasution Ismail acknowledged that the matter was discussed in the party’s last central leadership committee meeting, leading to the formation of a 5-man panel led by publicity chief Dr Muhammad Nur Manuty.

Suara Keadilan is PKR’s official party newsletter.

Saifuddin said that the committee will meet with the paper’s editors as part of a fact-finding mission before taking any further action.

Azmin was reportedly aggrieved by the February 11 article penned by Hishamuddin that described him as subscribing to “Ketuanan Melayu” (Malay Supremacy).