KUALA LUMPUR: Seputeh Member of Parliament Teresa Kok has confirmed she will not be sharing a campaign stage with Umno Youth chief, Datuk Dr Muhamad Akmal Saleh, during the upcoming Mahkota by-election, citing an ongoing legal case between them.
"My lawyer has already issued a letter of demand, paving the way for legal action against Akmal. His lawyer has since reached out to mine on the matter," Kok told Malaysiakini.
She said that her legal counsel had advised against sharing the stage with Dr Akmal as it could complicate the case.
"I want to make it clear that I will not be sharing any campaign stage with Akmal. I believe this decision is in the best interest of the unity government's election campaign," she added.
Kok's response came after some parties suggested bringing the two politicians together for the Sept 28 by-election campaign.
The New Straits Times has contacted Dr Akmal for his comments on the matter.
Tensions between the two escalated after Kok was reported to have said that halal certification should be voluntary, leaving business operators to decide based on market demand, rather than enforcing it.
In response, Dr Akmal publicly criticised her stance, telling her in a TikTok video not to interfere in Islamic matters, particularly those concerning halal certification.
On Sept 11, Kok filed a legal notice against Dr Akmal, demanding RM25 million in damages over what she called defamatory remarks.
The issue over halal certification was later addressed at a cabinet meeting, where it was agreed to maintain the current policy that Malaysian Halal Certification remains voluntary, as it has been since 1974.
The certification is available to any industry willing to comply with its standards and guidelines.