GEORGE TOWN – Universiti Utara Malaysia lecturer Kamarul Zaman Yusoff has served legal letters to Bukit Mertajam MP Steven Sim and two others, alleging defamation over the lawmaker’s motorcycle gift to a food delivery rider.
The letters were also sent to outgoing DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng last Friday and Noor Liyana Ahmad Marzuki, the former special officer to the international trade and industry minister.
Kamarul told The Vibes that he initiated legal action against the three in an effort to clear his name after allegations levelled at him and his workplace, following his comments on Sim’s aid.
“As a result of the defamatory statements issued by them, I have received insults, and have been openly and continuously ridiculed by the community, which has caused me to experience deep distress and anxiety, and feel very ashamed.”
He said he initiated legal action against Lim over statements made on April 21.
He said it was reported that Lim alleged Kamarul embarrassed himself as an academic by writing for PAS organ Harakahdaily and questioning the motive behind the aid rendered to a Malay Muslim in Sim’s constituency.
“Guan Eng also claimed that I badly labelled Sim as a Chinese Christian missionary, even though Sim had never delivered a sermon in any church. Guan Eng also claimed that I hate and revile non-Muslims helping Malays by labelling them as Chinese Christian missionaries.”
Kamarul also took issue with Sim’s comments on the RM2,000 he offered to the rider. The MP said the “gift” offered by the lecturer was to find an opportunity to attack him.
On the legal action against Noor Liyana, Kamarul said she published two Facebook posts against him on April 28.
“In her first Facebook post, Noor Liyana claimed that I published a piece of writing that had no scientific value and that I embarrassed the entire academic profession.
“In her second post, Noor Liyana claimed that I caused the rider involved to receive harassment, as well as other allegations.”
The controversy started when Kamarul listed Sim’s various charitable works on his Facebook page and warned Muslims to be careful before accepting help from “Christian missionaries”.
The flare-up occurred after Sim’s move to gift a RM4,500 motorcycle to the deliveryman went viral on social media. The lawmaker last month initiated legal action against Kamarul over comments on his charity work.
On April 20, Sim was reported as saying at first, he refused to entertain the criticism levelled at him by Kamarul as a sign of respect towards the latter in the holy month of Ramadan.
“However, he did not stop making baseless accusations.
“The allegations have not only tarnished my name as an MP, but even more dangerously, inflamed racial and religious sentiments in our society,” he said in a Facebook post.
Sim said the don is not remorseful, and challenged him to take legal action.
“Therefore, for the benefit of the Malaysian community, and as an example for all to maintain racial harmony in this country, I have instructed my lawyer to take legal action against Kamarul and other parties involved.” – The Vibes, May 3, 2021
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