KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Muslim Consumers' Association (PPIM) today denied allegations that it paid the RM70,000 fine on behalf of so-called bogus dentist Nur Farahanis Ezatty Adli in order to secure her release from jail.
PPIM lead activist Datuk Nadzim Johan said the NGO had nothing to do with either paying the fine, or raising money for the 20-year-old woman.
“PPIM was not the NGOs which helped to pay the fine. We were shocked when we were accused of helping the girl pay the RM70,000 court fine.
"We were misquoted when reports and videos went viral claiming that it was PPIM who had paid the amount,” he told a press conference today.
He said the funds were raised by a motorcycle club with the help of another NGO,Malaysia Islamic Economic Activist Organisation (PPIEM).
He said PPIM members were upset over the backlash they received from netizens.
“After the press reported that we helped her pay the fine, we received a lot of harsh remarks and comments from netizens. We are upset that many of them misunderstood what we have been fighting for over the past 20 years.”
Nadzim clarified that PPIM’s role in this case was merely as a legal advisor for the family.
“We did not offer any monetary help, just legal advice when we were approached by her family members and lawyer,” he said.
Nadzim said PPIM also did not condone Farahanis' act of operating an unregistered clinic.
“We accept the fact that she is very intelligent as she was self taught from YouTube videos. However, this does not mean that we condone her actions in running her own clinic.”
On Thursday, 20-year old Farahanis was released from prison after serving only six days out of her six month jail term for failing to pay a court fine of RM70,000.
She was fined by the Sessions Court in Melaka on Sept 29 for running a private dental clinic which was not registered under Section 27 of the Private Healthcare Facilities and Services Act 1998.