Datin Paduka Marina Mahathir (pic) is suing the president and 15 committee members of Ikatan Muslimin Malaysia (Isma) over its allegations linking her to the activities of the Coalition of Malaysian NGOs in the UPR (Universal Periodic Review) Process (Comango).Marina, who sits on the Sisters in Islam (SiS) board of directors, named Isma's president Abdullah Zaik Abd Rahman, deputy president Aminuddin Yahaya, vice-president Abdul Rahman Mat Dali and 13 other committee members as the defendants.
Marina was represented by counsel Muhammad Faizal Faiz Mohd Hasani, of Messrs Lee Hishammuddin Allen & Gledhill, who filed the defamation suit at the High Court Registrar's office on January 16.
The media was provided a copy of the statement of claims today when the case was mentioned in chambers before Judicial Commissioner Rosilah Yop.
The defendants' counsel Azad Bashir told reporters that Rosilah had scheduled March 10 for the filing of their defence statements.
In her statement of claims, Marina claimed that Isma had distributed 70,000 pamphlets titled "Among the 54 NGOs in Comango" at mosques in the Klang Valley, Kuala Lumpur, Shah Alam, Putrajaya, Seremban, Kota Samarahan (Sarawak), Melaka, Kuantan and Kuala Terengganu on November 8 2013.
The former chairman of the Malaysian AIDS Foundation claimed that Isma also posted an article titled "Isma distributes 70,000 pamphlets exposing Comango" on its website http://www.ismaweb.net the same day.
She stated that the pamphlets and article implied that she was involved in Comango's activities, personally involved in its report on human rights, was the mastermind behind the non-governmental organisation and did not respect the Federal Constitution.
Marina claimed that on November 11 2013 she had issued a press statement refuting the allegations, denied she was involved in said report and gave the defendants a chance to retract their accusations.
She claimed that on the same day Isma had however made a press statement through Aminuddin repeating its accusations, to which she responded two days later through the press as well.
She further claimed that all the defendants had failed to retract the alleged defamatory statements despite three letters of demand dated November 19 and 27 and December 12.
Marina said the statements had tarnished her reputation and sought general, exemplary and aggravated damages, an injunction to prevent the defendants from publishing said statements again and an apology from them. – Bernama,February 26, 2014.
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