GEORGE TOWN: The khatib in the centre of controversy for mentioning Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng's name during Friday sermons at mosques here yesterday hit out at his critics.
Zakaria Ahmad expressed regret over how politicians had blown up the issue for their own gains.
He said he planned to sue those who had created all the brouhaha.
"I will sue those who have tarnished my image and reputation.
"I have spoken to my lawyers to initiate legal action against the politicians and media," he said after a meeting with officials from the state Islamic religious council (MAIPP) and state Islamic Religious Affairs Department (JAIPP) here.
Zakaria said religious officials had also mentioned other people's names during prayers in the past but nobody had made any issue out of it.
"I am not the one who started all this.
"I think the critics have been attacking me because I am the only one who has been up front about it" he added.
Zakaria also maintained that what he did was not wrong in Islam but acknowledged that he could have used the wrong delivery method.
"As such, the issue for me to apologise does not arise.
"Whatever it is, I will not repeat it to prevent any more controversy in the future," he said, adding a team from the Butterworth police had gone to his house in Taiping to record his statement yesterday.
Yesterday, Zakaria also gave his statement to JAIPP and MAIPP officials.
MAIPP president Elias Zakaria said since it was Zakaria who had started the controversy, religious authorities had advised him to explain to the people to ensure they understood what really happened.
"Zakaria has agreed that he will not repeat what he did.
"We will also raise whatever was discussed today at the next MAIPP meeting," he said, adding that MAIPP would not take action against Zakaria.
Meanwhile, state police chief Datuk Ayub Yaakob said police had wrapped up their investigations and would submit the investigation papers to the Deputy Public Prosecutors' office later today ... NST
He said he planned to sue those who had created all the brouhaha.
"I will sue those who have tarnished my image and reputation.
"I have spoken to my lawyers to initiate legal action against the politicians and media," he said after a meeting with officials from the state Islamic religious council (MAIPP) and state Islamic Religious Affairs Department (JAIPP) here.
Zakaria said religious officials had also mentioned other people's names during prayers in the past but nobody had made any issue out of it.
"I am not the one who started all this.
"I think the critics have been attacking me because I am the only one who has been up front about it" he added.
Zakaria also maintained that what he did was not wrong in Islam but acknowledged that he could have used the wrong delivery method.
"As such, the issue for me to apologise does not arise.
"Whatever it is, I will not repeat it to prevent any more controversy in the future," he said, adding a team from the Butterworth police had gone to his house in Taiping to record his statement yesterday.
Yesterday, Zakaria also gave his statement to JAIPP and MAIPP officials.
MAIPP president Elias Zakaria said since it was Zakaria who had started the controversy, religious authorities had advised him to explain to the people to ensure they understood what really happened.
"Zakaria has agreed that he will not repeat what he did.
"We will also raise whatever was discussed today at the next MAIPP meeting," he said, adding that MAIPP would not take action against Zakaria.
Meanwhile, state police chief Datuk Ayub Yaakob said police had wrapped up their investigations and would submit the investigation papers to the Deputy Public Prosecutors' office later today ... NST
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