By Selangor Journal Team
SHAH ALAM, Sept 20 — State executive councillor for women empowerment and welfare Anfaal Saari has issued a sharp criticism against PAS lawmaker Siti Mastura Muhammad for her controversial "open-minded" remark during her recent High Court testimony.
Anfaal, who is Parti Amanah Negara Women’s deputy chief, said it was highly irresponsible for the Kepala Batas MP as an elected representative to claim that public speeches, particularly during ceramahs, do not require the same level of rigorous research as academic theses.
“Allah will hold us accountable for what we say. Citing sources does not absolve us from the responsibility of ensuring their authenticity. This is part of taqwa.
“As representatives of the people, we must be trustworthy since the public places its faith in us. This is aligned with the teachings of the Qu’ran and Sunnah,” Anfaal said in a post on X (formerly Twitter) today.
On Wednesday (September 18), it was reported that Mastura had testified in a defamation suit filed against her by three DAP leaders that political figures should not be expected to adhere to the same strict standards as researchers.
She claimed that quoting hearsay in public speeches was acceptable as long as it did not contravene the Federal Constitution.
Mastura defended her approach by stating that the Qu’ran and Sunnah form the foundation of her narratives.
She also referenced the Barisan Nasional (BN) Comms guidebook as a reliable secondary source for her speeches, despite its lack of authorship, International Standard Book Number, or publisher details.
The defamation suit centres on Mastura’s allegations, derived from the BN Comms book, that linked DAP leaders Lim Guan Eng, Lim Kit Siang, and Teresa Kok to the late communist leader Chin Peng.
High Court Judge Datuk Quay Chew Soon set December 4 for the court’s decision, after the defence closed its case.
