Arrest warrant out for Malay rights group leader

(FMT) – The High Court here today issued an arrest warrant for Malay rights group leader Azwanddin Hamzah after he failed to appear for a contempt case filed by Seputeh MP Teresa Kok.

Kok, the former primary industries minister, was allowed to initiate committal proceedings against the head of Jaringan Melayu Malaysia (JMM) for failing to honour an out-of-court settlement over a defamation suit last year.

She sued Azwanddin for claiming that she was involved in the land dispute concerning the Seafield Sri Maha Mariamman temple.

SN Nair, representing Kok, told reporters that High Court judge Rohani Ismail granted their application in chambers today.

“We had informed him many times to come to court and explain if he can adhere to the settlement’s terms.

“We, the plaintiff, then made a formal application to the court for an arrest warrant to be issued, and she (Rohani) agreed,” he said.

Kok was also represented by Elyse Ng.

The court also fixed Sept 25 for the contempt proceedings.

Kok settled her suit against Azwanddin last year over a claim he made at a gathering for fireman Muhammad Adib Mohd Kassim that she was involved in the temple land dispute.

Azwanddin was supposed to pay an undisclosed sum of money as part of the consent judgment as well as publish an apology in three newspapers – The Star, Sin Chew Daily and Sinar Harian.

Kok previously said she was never involved in the temple riots that took place in November 2018 and Azwanddin’s statement was “clearly motivated by bad motive and malicious intentions”.