Naik’s lawyer, Akberdin Abdul Kader, said his client wanted Satees to tender an unreserved apology, which was to be published in the social media, within the next 48 hours.
“He is to admit liability and retract all allegations made against our client,” said a notice sighted by FMT.
He is to also make an offer of a reasonable sum of settlement for the damage, embarrassment and humiliation to Naik as a result of the (alleged) defamation.
The lawyer said Satees, who is DAP Youth international secretary, must immediately remove and refrain from publishing any defamatory allegation on all social media and other mediums.
The notice was in reference to a report in FMT titled “DAP man blames LTTE crackdown on Zakir Naik’s presence”
Akberdin said the report suggested that Naik had persuaded Malaysian authorities through back door dealings to take severe action against the supporters of Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in order to divert attention from himself.
“The report imputed that our client is the architect and master mind in the arrest of LTTE supporters,” he said.
The notice said the report had tarnished Naik’s image, caused embarrassment and ridiculed him by creating racial tension among Malaysians that endangered his own security.
Akberdin said a defamation suit would be filed against Sates if the demand was not acceded to.
Naik, who is wanted by authorities in India for money laundering, has been given permanent resident status in Malaysia.
Home Minister Muhyiddin Yassin had recently denied that the DAP was being targeted by the “deep state” over alleged links to LTTE, saying those charged over links to the defunct terrorist group just happened to be from the party.
Last week, three DAP members, including two assemblymen, were charged with terrorism involvement. They were among the 12 nabbed for suspected links to LTTE.
Meanwhile, Akberdin said a similar notice had been sent by Naik to former PKR assemblyman S Raveentheran for posting defamatory remarks on his Facebook account last month.
The controversial preacher claimed the posting seemed to suggest that he was condoning slavery in the 21st century, encouraging bestiality (sexual intercourse between men and animals) and that Muslims were sex-obsessed.
Naik is asking for the same relief as demanded from Satees.