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KUALA LUMPUR: Former deputy minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Dr Mashitah Ibrahim is suing two people and their organisation over allegations linking her to a human trafficking syndicate in Myanmar.Mashitah, 60, filed the suit through Messrs Akberdin & Co at the Shah Alam High Court on Sept 9.
She named Malaysian International Humanitarian Organisation (MHO) chairman Datuk Hishamuddin Hashim, 45; MHO committee member Azirul Syafiq Sazali, 29; and the organisation as the defendants, according to Bernama.
In her statement of claim, the former MP for Baling said Hishamuddin, via his Facebook account, had uploaded video clips of a media statement on a Facebook account named “Hishamuddin Hashim” on Aug 28, which contained defamatory statements against her.
She further claimed that on the same day, Azirul Syafiq and MHO had posted a written media statement, prepared by Hishamuddin and dated Aug 26, on MHO’s Facebook account and Azirul Syafiq’s TikTok account.
This statement, she said, also contained defamatory remarks.
Mashitah added that the following day, Hishamuddin had uploaded an edited video clip repeating the allegations and with several pictures with her face blurred.
Additionally, she alleged that Hishamuddin and MHO had uploaded slanderous remarks in a post on Facebook on Sept 3.
The plaintiff claimed that these defamatory statements implied that she and her husband, Datuk Abdul Shakor Abu Bakar, were directly involved with Dongmei Group, a company allegedly engaged in human trafficking, gambling and drug-related criminal activities both in Myanmar and internationally.
Mashitah further alleged that the false accusations suggested that she and her husband were the masterminds of a human trafficking syndicate in Myanmar with connections to a criminal organisation known as 14K.
She also claimed that the defamatory statements had adversely affected her reputation and status as a public figure, senior politician and business person.
Mashitah is demanding an unequivocal apology from the defendants and for them to take down the alleged defamatory posts seven days after the judgment. She is also seeking general, compensatory, aggravated and exemplary damages.
Meanwhile, Datuk Akberdin Abdul Kader, representing Mashitah, confirmed that the suit was served on the three defendants yesterday and that the court had scheduled case management for Sept 17.
