Youth and Sports Minister Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman has 14 days to retract his “bodoh sombong” (foolish and arrogant) remark aimed at a group opposed to khat lessons in school, failing which he will be sued for libel.
The Seni Khat Action Team (Sekat) today handed a legal notice to Syed Saddiq demanding that he retracts his insulting remarks.
The legal notice follows Syed Saddiq failure to meet a first demand to withdraw the statement he had posted on social media on August 26.
Sekat secretary Arun Dorasamay and three other members delivered the legal notice to the minister at his office.
Arun said that as a sitting minister, it was wrong of Syed Saddiq to denigrate an organised opposition to the teaching of Jawi and khat calligraphy in vernacular schools.
“We are not rallying outside…we are just exercising our legal right in a very negotiable manner,” Arun said.
He said the minister’s social media post had elicited thousands of racial slurs and ugly comments.
“When a sitting minister (uses such) words, immediately what happens is that we (are faced with) more than 10,000 racial slurs. We know that the social media storm (over issues of race can get out of control). This was used as one of the fuels. More than 10,000 racial slurs against the group.”
Arun said if Syed Saddiq failed to withdraw the post within the stipulated time, he would sue him for no less than RM10 million.
He said if the suit succeeded, the money awarded would be used on education.
On August 25, Sekat urged the education ministry to postpone the teaching of Jawi to vernacular school pupils until there were “clear” answers to their questions.
It asked for a dialogue with the government with a view towards finding an amicable solution.
Arun said if Sekat’s demand is not met, it tells the parents to stop sending their children to school in protest.
Syed Saddiq responded by calling the group “bodoh sombong”. – TMI