KUALA LUMPUR, May 16 — Datuk Seri Najib Razak has threatened to sue Malaysiakini over two allegedly “defamatory and seditious” articles on the recent Terengganu crisis, if the news portal refuses to publish an apology within 48 hours.
Najib, who is the prime minister and Umno president, had in his personal capacity issued legal letters to Malaysiakini yesterday, saying that failure to meet his and Umno’s demands within the stipulated deadline would result in a lawsuit.
In a copy of the letter of demand sighted by The Malay Mail Online, the law firm acting for Najib and Umno pointed to two articles published Wednesday, titled, “A case of the PM reaping what he sows” and “How much will Najib spend to keep Terengganu?”
The two articles were compilations of comments by readers of Malaysiakini’s readers on this week’s political crisis in Terengganu, where Barisan Nasional (BN) briefly lost its majority in the oil-rich state before three Umno lawmakers returned to the party.
In the letter signed off by Umno legal adviser Datuk Mohd Hafarizam Harun, Najib and Umno claimed that the articles compiled by Malaysiakini’s editorial team were published in bad faith and intended to damage their “reputation and credibility”.
“The said defamatory and seditious articles are not responsible journalism as you are aware that the republication of the baseless defamatory allegations made by the users of Malaysiakini.com will have negative impacts towards our clients as it is spreading hatred, contempt and ridicule and it ruins the credibility of our clients,” Hafarizam wrote on behalf of Najib and Umno.
Najib and Umno demanded that Malaysiakini withdraw the offending articles from their website and publish an unconditional written apology based on terms agreed by them.
They also sought a written undertaking from Malaysiakini to refrain from publishing any other defamatory statements, as well as to be “mindful and prudent” when publishing other articles.
Najib and Umno also asked for compensation with general damages and costs to be agreed by them.
Malaysiakini has 48 hours to comply with these demands or face court proceedings instead, the letter said.
Two letter of demands with the same content were also addressed to Malaysiakini.com’s chief editor Fathi Aris Omar and editor-in-chief Steven Gan.
The copies of the legal letters from the firm Hafarizam Wan & Aisha Mubarak were shown to have been received by the news portal and its two editors yesterday afternoon.
Today, Malaysiakini’s Gan said the website will give the prime minister the right of reply and even provide Najib the chance to engage with its readers.
He added that Najib and Umno should share their views, which Malaysiakini will publish, instead of threatening to sue media organisations for defamation.
“He is more than welcome to explain to them why he thinks their opinions of him and Umno are wrong,” Gan was quoted saying in a news report published on Malaysiakini’s website.
