Nurul Izzah submits transcript to JAIS, to proceed with suit - Amin Iskandar

Nurul Izzah speaks to reporters after giving her statement to

JAIS in Shah Alam on November 9, 2012

SHAH ALAM, Nov 9 — Nurul Izzah Anwar, who has been accused by Umno of supporting apostasy for Muslims, met with Selangor religious officials today and submitted her a transcript of a speech she made to clarify her statement on religious freedom.

 

The PKR vice-president’s statement, at a public forum on “Islamic State: Which version, whose responsibility?” in Subang Jaya last Saturday, has resulted in attacks from several religious hawks and Umno politicians suggesting that her remarks meant she supported Muslims renouncing Islam and turning “murtad” or apostate.

 

“I have lodged a report which tells the real story to JAIS director Datuk Marzuki,” she said, after meeting with the Selangor Islamic Religious Department.

 

“Thank God, JAIS had given good co-operation.”

 

Nurul Izzah was accompanied by her lawyer Fadlina Sidek while meeting the director and three officers of JAIS to lend her co-operation on the matter.

 

Fadlina told reporters that the legal action against Umno-owned Utusan Malaysia, Berita Harian and a number of blogs for allegedly twisting her statement in the recent forum will go ahead.

 

Nurul Izzah also confirmed that she had lodged complaints against the publications to JAIS.

 

Datuk Zulkifli Noordin, vice-president of Malay right-wing group Perkasa, was quoted yesterday as being willing to provide a lawyer to Utusan Malaysia if Nurul Izzah decides to go ahead with her suit.

In a forum organised by Perkasa last night, Zulkifli said that he was willing to defend the daily pro-bono, 

 

“We’re not defending Utusan Malaysia, we’re defending the Malay race, Islam,” he said.

 

Race and religion issues are inseparable in Malaysia, where the Malays — who make up 60 per cent of the 28 million population — are constitutionally defined to also be Muslims.