KUALA LUMPUR – An aide to Special Functions Minister Datuk Abdul Latiff Ahmad has lodged a police report against Rafizi Ramli on the eve of National Day over allegations made by the PKR deputy president regarding the littoral combat ship (LCS) scandal.
In the report filed at the Dang Wangi district police headquarters, Sayed Ahmad Muizzuddin Al Sayed Mohamad said he wants criminal action to be taken against the former Pandan MP.
This is in relation to Rafizi’s claims that Latiff is married to a woman named Zainab Mohd Salleh, who has been linked to a company which allegedly siphoned millions of ringgit in funds from the LCS project.
Rafizi had also previously alleged that the Mersing MP had benefited in several other defence projects.
“All of Zainab’s actions were associated with Latiff when she was not his wife and they don’t have any family ties,” Sayed Ahmad said in the report.
“Rafizi had based his lies on a forensic report that stated that Zainab is Latiff’s second wife, although the report never mentioned that.
“He also knows that the forensic report has clearly noted in its notice to the reader that the veracity of information contained in the document could not be assessed.”
In his police report, Sayed Ahmad said despite Latiff’s statements and denials pertaining to Rafizi’s allegations, the PKR deputy president continued to issue false, slanderous statements linking the minister to Zainab.
“I have been ordered to, and I strongly believe that the slanders are meant to damage Latiff’s good reputation for political purposes by inciting hatred and anger among the public.”
He added that Rafizi’s discordant and false accusations through various social media platforms were meant to hurt, intimidate and harass Latiff.
As such, he believes that Rafizi has committed a crime under the Penal Code – specifically Section 499 for defamation, Section 503 for criminal intimidation, and Section 504 for intentional insult with intent to provoke a breach of the peace – as well as Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 for improper use of network facilities or network service.
“I urge police and the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission to probe and charge Rafizi and others who conspired with him to commit the offences.”
In a series of statements posted on his social media accounts between August 22 and 26, Rafizi had claimed that Zainab – who was mentioned in the forensic audit report released by Boustead Heavy Industries Corporation Bhd, and linked to a firm that allegedly siphoned millions of ringgit in LCS funds – is Latiff’s wife.
Latiff, who is a Bersatu member, denied having any relationship with the woman implicated in the scandal, and said he was open to being investigated.
Rafizi responded by challenging Latiff to sue him if the claims he made were untrue, while the minister accused the PKR leader of using him as political fodder ahead of the coming general election. – The Vibes, August 31, 2022
