KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 28 (Bernama) -- The Federal Territory Islamic Religious
Council (MAIWP) is paying the legal cost for three respondents named in the
qazaf claim by Permatang Pauh member of parliament Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
MAIWP chief executive officer Dr Muhammad Yamin Ismail said the cost is
being borne because the three, namely Minister in the Prime Minister''s
Department Datuk Seri Jamil Khir Baharom, Director of the Federal Territory
Religious Department Datuk Che Mat Che Ali and Federal Territory Syarie Chief
Prosecutor Shamsuddin Hussain were civil servants.
"Thus, it is the responsibility of MAIWP, as the authority on Islamic
religion, to bear the cost of defending any legal action against them," he said
in a statement, here today.
He said that MAIWP had a special allocation from the government grant to pay
for their legal cost in the case from 1993 to 2011, with the amount received
amounting to RM11 million including RM700,000 in 2010 and RM500,000 in 2011.
"The action brought by the member of parliament for Permatang Pauh is the
main cause for the three respondents being dragged in the dispute whereas the
allegation by the member of parliament concerned is totally unfounded as decided
by the Syariah High Court," he said.
Dr Muhammad Yamin made the comment when responding to the report in the
Harakah that claimed Jamil Khir had misappropriated zakat funds to pay for his
legal cost in the case.
-- BERNAMA
MAMA NAK AO
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