Harizal Hassan, formerly a researcher with Iksim, said the think tank gave “opinions” about Yeoh’s book to the government in 2016, before its operations were suspended by the Pakatan Harapan government in 2018.
He said the defendant in Yeoh’s defamation suit, Kamarul Zaman Yusoff, another former research fellow with the think tank, had studied her book. Kamarul is also a lecturer at Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM).
Asked if the “opinions” submitted led to any action by the authorities, he responded: “Unfortunately, no.”
He also said that he did not lodge any police report against Yeoh over the contents of her book.
Testifying in the High Court as a defence witness for Kamarul, Harizal also claimed that Iksim used to have a good working relationship with the authorities.
Yeoh filed her suit in 2022 over the content of two documents Kamarul authored: an article titled “Hannah Yeoh contoh hipokrasi terbesar DAP di Malaysia” (Hannah Yeoh, the biggest example of DAP hypocrisy in Malaysia), and a police report he lodged against her, which he published on Facebook five years earlier.
She claims Kamarul had in both documents accused her of “proselytising Christianity through her politics”, driving a “Christian agenda” and “intending to convert Malaysia into a Christian country”.
Under cross-examination by Yeoh’s lawyer, Sangeet Kaur Deo, Harizal admitted that he was unaware the home ministry had approved the book for publication.
He also told the court he does not agree with the National Library’s classification of Yeoh’s book under the category “Women politicians – Malaysia”.
Sangeet: Do you agree that for the past 10 years, Muslim men have held the roles of prime minister, home minister, and inspector-general of police, and have seen no issue with the book?
Harizal: I disagree.
Sangeet: They would have been able to take action if they saw the plaintiff’s (Yeoh) book as a “threat”?
Harizal: Yes, but they did not.
Witness claims Yeoh contravened the law
Harizal insisted that Yeoh’s book had contravened the law but Sangeet disputed his claim, saying that Yeoh had not said anything negative about Islam in her book.
“If she had, she would be in jail,” Harizal said, adding that Yeoh’s book was more than just a personal account.
“She wanted to bring her (religious) aspirations into politics.”
Sangeet: But you never lodged any police report or took any (legal) action (against the authorities).
Harizal: I am here to give evidence.
The defence closed its case today after calling Harizal.
Justice Aliza Sulaiman fixed May 30 to deliver the court’s decision.