Investigating officer confirms Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil did not deliver a political speech at a Selangor mosque in 2023, as a defamation suit concludes.
KUALA LUMPUR: An investigating officer told the High Court that Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil did not deliver any political speech at Masjid Nurul Yaqin in Kuang, Rawang, in 2023.
Inspector Muhammad Fiadhi Fadzil, a subpoenaed witness for the plaintiff, said Fahmi was asked by a mosque committee member to explain the cancellation of a concert by The 1975 in Sepang after prayers.
“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,” said the witness.
He stated that throughout the video, Fahmi only explained the concert’s cancellation and the reasons behind it.
The officer, now with the Temerloh Commercial Crime Division, testified during a defamation suit filed by the Lembah Pantai MP against independent preacher Ahmad Dusuki Abd Rani.
Muhammad Fiadhi agreed that his investigation found no grounds for charges under Section 4A(1) of the Election Offences Act 1954.
He confirmed under cross-examination that his investigation centred on whether a political speech had been delivered.
The witness also agreed with the suggestion that a political speech and merely speaking are two different things.
Muhammad Fiadhi reiterated that there was no political speech by Fahmi during his remarks at the mosque.
He explained Fahmi was merely responding to questions despite having declined to speak several times.
“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.
Meanwhile, defendant Ahmad Dusuki, in his witness statement, maintained his social media posts did not have wide reach or affect the plaintiff’s reputation.
When asked if he had a responsibility to ensure the accuracy of his posts, the preacher replied, “Yes, I bear sin and merit.”
He disagreed with the suggestion that his Facebook and Instagram posts were intended to influence his followers’ thinking.
Ahmad Dusuki admitted he did not contact the plaintiff or his office before making the posts.
He acknowledged Fahmi is an MP and minister but disagreed that he had damaged the plaintiff’s reputation.
The defendant stated he had neither offered compensation nor issued an apology for the posts.
Both the plaintiff and the defendant closed their cases in today’s proceedings.
The court has fixed July 9 for oral submissions in the defamation suit.
Both parties were directed to file their written submissions and replies on May 20 and June 18 respectively.