KUALA LUMPUR, April 9 — An investigating officer told the High Court yesterday that Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil did not make any political speech at Masjid Nurul Yaqin in Kuang, Rawang, Selangor, in 2023.

Insp Muhammad Fiadhi Fadzil, 35, who is now attached to the Commercial Crime Division at the Temerloh district police headquarters in Pahang, said a mosque committee member had asked Fahmi to explain an issue that occurred in Sepang at the time involving a concert by the band The 1975, after he had completed congregational prayers at the mosque.

“At first, from the video I saw, YB (Fahmi) declined to say anything in the mosque, but he was handed a microphone by the mosque committee member. Throughout the video, he only explained the cancellation of the concert and why he cancelled it; that was all,” said the subpoenaed witness, testifying for the plaintiff.

Muhammad Fiadhi said this during the hearing of a defamation suit filed by the Lembah Pantai MP against independent preacher Ahmad Dusuki Abd Rani over posts uploaded on Facebook and Instagram in 2023, before Judge Datuk Raja Ahmad Mohzanuddin Shah Raja Mohzan.

The witness also agreed that his investigation found no charges could be brought against the plaintiff under Section 4A(1) of the Election Offences Act 1954.

When questioned by counsel Mohamad Kamarulzaman Jusoh, representing Ahmad Dusuki, on whether his investigation centred on whether Fahmi had delivered a political speech, the witness replied, “Yes, that is correct.”

Muhammad Fiadhi also agreed with Mohamad Kamarulzaman’s suggestion that a political speech and merely speaking are two different things.

He said he had been called by the Selangor Islamic Religious Department (JAIS) to have his statement recorded in relation to the investigation. 

Muhammad Fiadhi agreed that there was no political speech by Fahmi during his remarks at the mosque.

He explained that Fahmi was merely responding to questions posed by the mosque committee member, despite having declined several times to speak at the mosque.  

“He did not want to speak but was compelled when a microphone was given to him, so he had no choice, and YB Fahmi explained why he stopped the concert,” he said during re-examination by lawyer Asheeq Ali Sethi Alivi, representing Fahmi.

Meanwhile, Ahmad Dusuki, 50, in his witness statement, maintained that the publication of the statements did not have a wide reach or circulation and did not affect the plaintiff’s reputation.

When asked by Fahmi’s counsel Fahri Azzat whether, as a public speaker, he had a responsibility to ensure the accuracy of what he published on his Facebook and Instagram accounts, Ahmad Dusuki replied, “Yes, I bear sin and merit.”

However, he disagreed with Fahri’s suggestion that his Facebook and Instagram posts were intended to influence the thinking of his followers.

Ahmad Dusuki also admitted he did not contact the plaintiff or the plaintiff’s office before making the posts.

According to him, he was aware that the plaintiff is an MP and a Cabinet minister, but disagreed with the suggestion that he had caused damage to the plaintiff’s reputation and had neither offered compensation nor issued an apology.

In yesterday’s proceedings, both the plaintiff and the defendant closed their cases, and the court fixed July 9 for oral submissions.

The court also directed both parties to file their written submissions and replies on May 20 and June 18 respectively. — Bernama