KUALA LUMPUR – Perak PAS commissioner Razman Zakaria has claimed that Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh is suing him over his remarks linking her to Christian proselytisation, rather than the mistaken identity controversy involving the YTL Group.
Razman, who recently sparked outrage by falsely claiming that Yeoh was the daughter of the late Tan Sri Dr Yeoh Tiong Lay, said the legal action against him was unrelated to that issue.
“The Youth Minister, YB Hannah Yeoh, is not suing Pakteh (referring to himself) because of the surname mistake, but because I linked her to Christian proselytisation. Think about it, why?” he wrote on Facebook today.
His remarks come days after PAS spiritual leader Datuk Hashim Jasin urged Yeoh to forgive Razman, stating that mistakes are common in politics and should not be blown out of proportion.
“But as ordinary human beings, we are not free from making mistakes. I believe that in the case involving the Perak PAS Commissioner, he realises his mistake and has apologised,” Hashim told Scoop yesterday.
“He has apologised, and other people or parties have made mistakes, apologised, and been forgiven. Why can’t this case be forgiven?” he added.
The controversy began when Razman, during a 19-second video at the Ceramah Kebangkitan Rakyat event in Seri Iskandar, Parit, falsely claimed that Yeoh was the daughter of the YTL Group’s founder. He later admitted his error and apologised to both parties.
However, Yeoh announced that she would pursue legal action, stressing that defamation should not be normalised, particularly by those who claim to uphold religious values.
The issue has drawn criticism from Sungai Petani MP Mohammed Taufiq Johari, who accused PAS leadership—particularly President Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang and Deputy President Datuk Seri Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man—of remaining silent and allowing defamation to become a norm within the party.
Perikatan Nasional (PN) chairman Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin also weighed in, reminding coalition leaders to verify facts before making public statements.
Recently, Kepala Batas MP Dr Siti Mastura Muhammad was fined RM830,034.75 after being found guilty of defaming three DAP leaders—Tan Sri Lim Kit Siang, Lim Guan Eng, and Teresa Kok.
Hashim supported Muhyiddin’s call for greater caution but insisted that mistakes are inevitable.
“Muhyiddin’s advice to be careful and verify is good, we should act that way. However, even with caution, it doesn’t guarantee accuracy. Even careful people can make mistakes. When mistakes happen, it is common, as humans are not free from error. So, we ask for forgiveness,” Hashim said.
On 4 February, Razman confirmed that he had received a letter of demand (LOD) from Yeoh and had discussed the matter with his lawyer, Mohd Khairul Azam Abdul Aziz.
“She has issued an LOD against me concerning several matters linking her to Christian proselytisation,” he said. – February 11, 2025