Zakaria said he decided after the dailies and the Umno politician refused to apologise.
“I have decided to file a defamation suit after the parties involved refused to apologise despite making statements that have tarnished my image as a prayer leader,” Zakaria told The Malaysian Insider today.
“Initially I gave them two days to apologise, but after I waited for a week, they did not respond, so I decided to sue. My lawyers are currently studying their remarks,” he added.
Zakaria said he would have forgiven them if an apology was forthcoming since it was Ramadan.
“I am a PAS member, a Muslim. I am willing to forgive them if they had apologised, but unfortunately they refused,” said Zakaria adding that he would still forgive if an apology is made before Hari Raya celebration next week.
Last month Umno Permatang Berangan assemblyman Shabudin Yahaya alleged that a Penang mosque where Zakaria was the prayer leader had dropped the Yang diPertuan Agong’s name replacing it with Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng in the Friday sermon.
The controversy was first highlighted by the state Umno chief Datuk Seri Zahid Hamidi.
Zakaria defended his action saying that he was only praying for the well-being of Lim and for the DAP secretary-general to embrace Islam.
He had also said that the congregation had misunderstood the prayer as it was said in Arabic.
Shabudin however dismissed Zakaria’s claims adding that it has been a normal practice to pray for only the well-being of the Yang diPertuan Agong and the state governor. Shabudin also claimed that Zakaria is not qualified to deliver the Friday sermon.
Zakaria said that the matter has been exaggerated by politicians. He also pledged that he would not repeat the act when delivering Friday sermon.
“For me praying for non-Muslims is not wrong, only the way it is conducted and the place that matter,” said Zakaria.
“God-willing I will not pray for them (in the Friday sermon) and even if I do so, I would do it at a different place,” he added.
