In a statement, Hafiz admitted to having mistakenly reported the facts in a post that implicated the minister.
He also said he had deleted the post after discovering that the original image link from Pertubuhan Muafakat Pondok SeMalaysia had also been taken down from its page.
“I sincerely and unconditionally retract my previous statement in full and offer my public apology to the minister for the remarks made and for any misunderstanding caused by my post.
“I also humbly appeal for the minister’s understanding and forgiveness, and hope that no financial or legal claims will be made against me,” he added, saying his actions were driven by emotion and inaccurate information, with no malicious intent towards anyone.
Last week, Na’im threatened to sue Hafiz for defamation over his Facebook post about the closure of pondok schools in the two states.
In a letter of demand issued by law firm Akberdin & Co to Hafiz, Na’im’s lawyers said the social media post accusing the minister of ordering the closure of unregistered pondok schools was false, malicious and defamatory.
The letter demanded that Hafiz admit liability and withdraw the allegations made against Na’im and immediately remove all purportedly defamatory or false remarks from social media platforms and websites.
It also demanded that Hafiz cease publishing or circulating such statements and to issue an unreserved public apology within 48 hours of receiving the letter. The apology, the firm said, should remain visible on Hafiz’s social media accounts and websites for 30 days.
The letter also demanded a reasonable settlement offer within 48 hours to compensate Na’im for the damage, embarrassment, and humiliation arising from the statements.
Failure to comply would result in legal action seeking RM10 million in damages and an injunction barring Hafiz from publishing any further defamatory statements against the minister.
In his post, Hafiz had reportedly criticised Na’im for allegedly closing pondok schools while ignoring serious issues in national schools, such as rape, murder, bullying, and alcohol consumption.