Court is not a coffeeshop, Jamal told

KUALA LUMPUR: Sungai Besar Umno chief Datuk Seri Jamal Md Yunos (pic) was reproached by a High Court judge for failing to back his claims linking Bersih to a terrorist group, Bernama reported.

When Jamal, 48, told the court that he had no documents to prove the allegations he made against Bersih, judge Datuk Mohd Zaki Abdul Wahab reprimanded him.

“This is a court. Talk only if there is evidence ... this is not a coffee­shop where we can chat,” said the judge.

Jamal had answered that it was based on his “assumptions” when asked during cross-examination by lawyer N. Surendran, who represented former Bersih 2.0 chairman Maria Chin Abdullah, whether he had strong evidence linking Bersih to the Islamic State (IS) terrorist group in the statement he made on Sept 28, 2016.

“The statement that Bersih was involved with violence was not only made by me.

“Even Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad had made a statement that the violence that took place during the Bersih 3.0 rally was an indication that the Opposition would do what it could to gain power,” Jamal said.

Jamal was sued by Maria, 62, on Oct 7, 2016, for linking Bersih to IS.

Maria claimed that he had used defamatory words in a media conference at the Putra World Trade Centre compound, which was then published and broadcast on several news portals, newspapers and electronic media.

In her statement of claim, Maria also alleged that Jamal had again used defamatory words against her at the Bukit Aman police headquarters on Oct 4, 2016, which was again picked up by the different media and published the following day.

Maria claimed that such statements had shown that she was violent, did not adhere to the law and was a IS agent.

The trial, which began in October last year, ended with Jamal’s testimony yesterday.

He was the last witness.

Jamal also told the court that his actions and that of the Red Shirt group followers were a “deliberate provocation” to thwart the Bersih rally.

Jamal, who was then chairman of the Gabungan Gerakan Merah Malaysia, said he decided to do so after he received information on social media that there was a possibility of a Bersih gathering at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport and several strategic places in the country on Nov 19, 2016.