KUALA LUMPUR – Malay rights group Pertubuhan Ikatan Muslimin Malaysia, better known as Isma, today withdrew its RM3 million defamation suit against human rights lawyer Eric Paulsen for implying that it was an extremist group.
Paulsen, in turn, withdrew his counter claim against Isma for allegedly implying in an article on its webpage that Paulsen was an “instigator” and a liar who had no tolerance for Islam.
Paulsen’s lawyer Latheefa Koya told reporters this after a consent judgment between Isma and Paulsen before Judicial Commissioner Azizul Azmi Adnan in chambers.
In its suit, Isma had claimed that Paulsen had made a libellous statement against it via Twitter on Jan 9 last year which implied that Isma was an extremist group.
In reply to remarks by Defence Minister Hishammuddin Hussein that an attack similar to that on the office of Charlie Hebdo in Paris could happen in Malaysia, Paulsen was reported to have tweeted that it certainly could happen if the government continued to support or close an eye to extremist groups such as Isma and Perkasa.
In the consent judgment, Paulsen said he recognised that Isma was a non-governmental organisation that fought on issues related to religion, race and country in line with the Federal Constitution.
“I also got to know Isma has many members throughout the country and has branches in countries abroad that are actively involved in spreading Islamic teachings. They are not involved in any violent activities that threaten human lives,” he said in the consent judgment.
He said his Tweet connecting Isma with extremism had been misinterpreted.
Latheefa said Paulsen had withdrawn his counter claim against Isma. “However the counter claim based on an Ismaweb.net article which quoted activist Mohamed Hafiz Nordin would still proceed before JC Mohd Zaki Wahab,” she said.
Isma’s lawyers Aidil Khalid and Abi Mursyidin Awal confirmed that a consent judgment had been reached.
They added that Isma would notify Isma Media, which runs the Isma web page, to withdraw the article concerned.
The group’s public officer Salman al-Farisi Selamat said they were happy both lawsuits had been amicably settled.