KUALA LUMPUR: A nasi kandar restaurant owner has filed a RM1 million defamation suit against Perlis Mufti Datuk Dr Mohd Asri Zainul Abidin for linking him to a 2019 arson.
Ahmad Muzaini Mydin, 38, who owns the Muzaini Mydin Nasi Kandar chain in Kangar, claimed that Mohd Asri defamed him by naming him as a suspect who torched his car in an alleged act of terrorism on March 22, 2019.
Muzaini, a volunteer and a member of Pas' Jabatan Amal Malaysia, named Mohd Asri as the sole defendant in the suit filed via Messrs Ku Farahi & Co on June 7.
Muzaini said that on May 22, 2019, Mohd Asri, authored and published a post on his Dr Maza Facebook account alleging he was arrested over the incident.
In his suit, Muzaini alleged Mohd Asri's posting was made maliciously and damaged his name and reputation while his picture was used in the post without consent.
He also alleged Mohd Asri's post was intended to make people hate and criticise him even though the police never named him as a suspect.
Muzaini claimed it was clear that Mohd Asri's defamatory post was deliberate and pointed at him as the person who torched the car, a terrorist and an extremist who intended to hurt and endanger the lives of those who disagreed with him.
He claimed the defamatory post meant to say that he was the mastermind behind a plot to injure Mohd Asri and an inhumane criminal who must be feared by the public.
Muzaini, among others, is seeking an injunction barring Mohd Asri from further publishing the alleged defamatory statements as well as an apology in newspapers and social media.
It was reported that Mohd Asri's official car, a Honda Accord 1.6L, was set on fire by arsonists at his home at Jalan Persiaran Wawasan, Kangar on March 22, 2019.
In May 2019, a pasar malam trader, with another suspect at large, was charged with setting fire to the car with the intention to cause damage.
NST is attempting to contact Mohd Asri for comment.