Azalina threatens to sue Mazlan over Rapid

The Sun Daily

Posted on 2 October 2012 - 08:52pm
Last updated on 3 October 2012 - 08:46am

KUALA LUMPUR (Oct 2, 2012): Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said (BN-Pengerang) has threatened to sue PAS Johor deputy commissioner Mazlan Aliman for alleging that she had a hand in approving the construction of a Petronas refinery in her constituency.

She alleged Mazlan had, during the Himpunan Hijau Pengerang Lestari rally in Pengerang last weekend, accused her of being "responsible" for bringing in the Refinery and Petrochemical Integrated Development (Rapid) project to Pengerang.

Speaking to reporters at Parliament lobby, Azalina said she was "surprised" by the accusation and stressed that it was made in bad faith to discredit her reputation.

"I am upset because I have won the (Pengerang) seat uncontested for two terms. I will never do anything that sidelines the people's opinion," she said.

Azalina insisted she was not part of the decision-making bodies involved in approving the project, adding that her meetings with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak were only held after the project was launched in May this year.

As such, Azalina said she had instructed her lawyer to file a notice of summons against Mazlan if the latter refuses to issue a public apology to her.

"I will sue him along with (PAS newsletter) Harakah and other web portals which carried his allegations," she said.

Mazlan, in his speech during the rally, had also reportedly claimed he had "documents" to prove Azalina's involvement in the project.

"I want to see the documents. He has to be responsible. Don't just shoot his mouth off without basis," she said.

She also maintained that all allegations made against the project by environmental non-governmental organisations and opposition leaders are "baseless" and that the true test of support from local residents will be determined via the ballot box.

In an immediate response, Mazlan told theSun that he will stand by his claims and will not apologise to Azalina.

"I have promised to reveal the documents and I will do so when the time is right. I shall wait for the legal notice to arrive," said Mazlan who is also a PAS central committee member.