KUALA LUMPUR: Former Umno supreme council member Datuk Lokman Noor Adam said his social media posts involving Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin were to seek clarification from the latter over serious allegations involving vaccines.

       This was stated in his statement of defence filed through Fazilah Logen & Associates on Wednesday (March 2).

       In the court document, Lokman said there were serious allegations that the vaccines provided to the public had expired and this involved public health and safety.

       "It (the allegations) are also strengthened when there is a viral issue that the plaintiff - who is the Health Minister himself - has not been fully vaccinated or there is a discrepancy in his vaccination details that needed clarification.

       "This is a matter of public interest as the public has been instructed to take the first and second vaccination doses and booster shots while many restrictions have been imposed on those who have refused to be vaccinated. Even children are now instructed to get vaccinated," he said.

       Lokman further contended that he was merely voicing public concerns involving health and safety to the plaintiff for him to respond and clarify.

       "The plaintiff cannot stop the defendant's right to voice out his opinion in line with the existing law and this right is protected under the Federal Constitution," he added.

       Lokman said he is a president of an NGO, Laskar Siber Malaysia, and that he actively monitors governance and public issues.

       He also claimed to have never received a letter of demand from the plaintiff's solicitors prior to the lawsuit being filed.

       Lokman said Khairy was not entitled to the claims and remedies he (Khairy) sought from the court and asked the court to dismiss Khairy's claims with costs.

       On Jan 25, Khairy filed two separate writs of summons through Messrs Rashid Zulkifli against Lokman and preacher Mohd Rasyiq Mohd Alwi, or known as Ustaz Abu Syafiq, over the duo's social media posts on Covid-19 vaccination.

       According to his statement of claim, the Rembau MP said Lokman had uploaded two videos on the Facebook page 'Lokman Noor Adam Official' and posted a photo accompanied with a caption on Jan 6.

       He said Lokman had also conducted a Facebook Live Video and YouTube Live stream on Jan 10, where the same content was uploaded on both platforms.

       Khairy claimed that all the impugned posts by Lokman and Mohd Rasyiq were plainly false, untrue, unwarranted, unsubstantiated, malicious and mischievous statements against him.

       The alleged defamatory publications, Khairy said, were meant to say that he had lied and deceived the public by dishonestly claiming to have been vaccinated for Covid-19 and to have received the third booster dose, and that he had faked the information regarding his vaccination and third dose status, and that he has lied and deceived the public in respect of the requirements of third dose for umrah.

       This, he claimed, has seriously injured his integrity, credit, goodwill, reputation and caused him distress as well as eroded the trust and confidence of the public in his personal and professional capacity.

       Khairy is seeking general, exemplary, and aggravated damages and interest.

       He is also seeking an order for the defendants to be compelled to remove the publications.

       Case management has been fixed on March 24.