GEORGE TOWN, Aug 26 — Deputy Chief Minister II P. Ramasamy today lodged a police report against Dr Zakir Naik after receiving a second notice of demand from the controversial preacher.

The Penang lawmaker said he is also lodging a police report against the law firm representing Dr Zakir.

"In addition, I will be writing a complaint letter against the law firm to the Malaysian Bar Council for unethical and unprofessional conduct,” he said in a brief statement today.

Ramasamy said his lawyer, Mureli Navaratnam, will respond to the notice on his behalf.

"There is no U-turn on this matter. I will face Naik in the court of law,” he said.

In the notice, the Dr Zakir accused Ramasamy of making defamatory statements against him out of malice, hatred, envy, spite and motivated to shore up his sagging popularity in DAP after being sidelined in the party elections.

"Furthermore, he accused me of misusing my position as the deputy chief minister of Penang and being the person behind the protest against him in Brickfields on Saturday, 24 August, 2019,” he said.

Ramasamy said the second legal notice was construed as another interference by Dr Zakir in local politics.

"This is something that the police have warned him against. I will be lodging a police report against Naik on this matter,” he said.

Last week, Dr Zakir issued notices of demand, served by legal firm Akberdin & Co, to Ramasamy, Bagan Dalam assemblyman Satees Muniandy, former ambassador Datuk Dennis Ignatius and Klang MP Charles Santiago.

In his notices, he said the four had made defamatory remarks against him in several articles and press releases.

Dr Zakir also lodged police reports against Human Resource Minister M. Kulasegaran and the four.

He alleged the five had wrongly quoted his August 8 remarks out of context and accused them of twisting and manipulating his comments.