KUALA LUMPUR – Former Penang deputy chief minister II P. Ramasamy is seeking a dismissal of the countersuit brought against him by controversial preacher Zakir Naik.
Ramasamy has filed the application to strike out Zakir’s civil suit at the high court here today via his counsel Messrs SS Thind.
He claimed Zakir’s counterclaims against him are “unsustainable” and that the latter did not send any letter of demand prior to filing it.
Ramasamy also said the counterclaim was done in haste, as it is a tit-for-tat response to his suit.
On December 27 last year, Ramasamy filed a civil suit against Zakir, alleging the preacher called him “the biggest enemy of Islam”.
The former DAP veteran sought a court order compelling Zakir to issue a public apology on the latter’s Facebook page and in mainstream media, as well as an injunction to compel Zakir to not repeat the alleged slander.
In response, Zakir filed a counterclaim against Ramasamy in the same month, seeking a similar court order against the latter.
Zakir also sought general, compensatory, aggravated and general damages from Ramasamy in his counterclaim suit.
Prior to Ramasamy’s suit against Zakir, the former was ordered to pay RM1.52 million to the preacher after the Kuala Lumpur High Court found him guilty of defaming Zakir by calling the preacher “satan” and that his defence was unacceptable.
The ruling was made on November 2 last year, by judge Hayatul Akmal Abdul Aziz. – March 6, 2024