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"Yes. I hope they will call up Utusan Malaysia as well because it was them who reported a defamation of faith," she told a press conference at the Parliament lobby this morning.
Nurul Izzah was responding to a question on whether she was prepared to give a statement if Jais decides to call her up.This was in relation to her statement that there was no compulsion in religion for anyone, which subsequently led to accusations that she supported apostasy among Muslims in the Malay daily.
Yesterday, Jais director Marzuki Husin had reportedly said that the department would take action against Nurul Izzah if it had more information about the statement that was made during a forum last Saturday.
However, Nurul Izzah declined to elaborate on the matter, stating that her lawyers are looking at the matter.
“...I have been advised by my lawyers not to make further statements as they will be taking further action,” said the Lembah Pantai MP.
Meanwhile, when approached at the Parliament lobby this morning, PKR supremo Anwar Ibrahim said Jais’ intention to investigate Nurul Izzah appeared to be politically motivated.
“If Jais is doing its job it should be taking action against Muslims involved in gambling or like in San Miguel,” he said in reference to former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s son Mirzan’s purchase of the liquor company.
Defending Nurul Izzah’s statement, Anwar (left) said the attacks on her showed “the extent of religious bigotry”.“What is wrong? Religion is an issue of faith, you seek the truth, you don’t do be so judgmental and say this fellow is a Muslim or non-Muslim,” he said.
Anwar said Nurul’s statement had been misinterpreted and manipulated, something that he had similarly faced in his speeches at international forums.
He added that such attacks were an attempt to divert attention from critical issues against which Umno dare not speak out.
“When (MCA president Chua Soi Lek) launched attacks (on hudud law) in front of (Prime Minister) Najib Abdul Razak, did Najib dare speak up? he did not even dare to comment,” said Anwar.
‘BN top guns should take on our strongholds, too’
On a separate matter, Anwar said if the ruling coalition was so confident of their electoral chances, their top guns, too, should contest in Pakatan Rakyat strongholds.
“If they are really confident, they should say: I am also prepared to go (and contest in) Marang or Permatang Pauh, that would be a fair deal,” he said.
Anwar was responding to Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin who yesterday welcomed PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang and former Kita president Zaid Ibrahim to contest against the premier in the Pekan parliamentary constituency.
“I remember in 1999, Najib almost lost, but by now of course they have brought in a lot more new postal voters,” he said.
I think Izzah should stand up against what she said earlier in the forum and not backpedal like she did. What she said actually have given us hope to spread the word of Jesus - but now she denies saying it. Why this U-Turn, did she do that in fear of angering the Muslim Malay community? If so, she should not have said the words in the first place.
ReplyDeleteIf she is not committed to the cause and flip-flops in the issue pertaining religious freedom, she is the same as other politicians who use religious issues as a crutch.