[UPDATED] Umno to sue Astro Awani, Mkini over ‘slanderous’ reports on party meetings

KUALA LUMPUR – Umno will initiate legal action against news portals Astro Awani and Malaysiakini over “slanderous” reports over the purported chain of events that occurred during the party’s meetings this week.

In a Facebook post today, Umno Youth chief Datuk Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki disputed what was reported by the two media organisations as incorrect, saying he was in the meetings and those “matters” were not discussed.

“It is outright slander and malicious reporting by Malaysiakini, which said that the prime minister was given an ultimatum to dissolve Parliament or risk being booted out.

“The same goes to Astro Awani, which produced a slanderous report stating that division chiefs during the meeting had asked the prime minister to intervene in the SRC International case.”

Asyraf went on to reprimand both portals and urged them to verify their news with credible sources instead of counting on “internal sources”.

“Both reports are slanderous, irresponsible and unethical,” he said.

Previously, Malaysiakini reported that Umno party president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi had made demands to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob for him to call for a general election as soon as possible or be sacked from Umno.

This is after the party’s political bureau meeting, who met last Wednesday, had expressed their disappointment with Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s conviction in the SRC International Sdn Bhd corruption case.

Similarly, Astro Awani had reported on Monday that during the party’s emergency meeting, division leaders have urged Ismail Sabri to intervene in Najib’s case. – The Vibes, August 26, 2022