Xenophon may sue Malaysian newspaper

May 3, 2012 The Sydney Morning Herald

Senator Nick Xenophon arrives for a media conference about naming a South Australian priest at Parliament House Canberra on Tuesday 13 September 2011. Photo: Andrew Meares

Subjected to an extraordinary attack ... Nick Xenophon. Photo: Andrew Meares

INDEPENDENT senator Nick Xenophon has been subjected to an extraordinary attack by a state-controlled Malaysian newspaper - publishing a 2009 speech in which he was critical of Scientology, but replacing references to that religion with the word ''Islam''.

The deception has left Senator Xenophon stunned following a visit to Malaysia at the weekend to observe protests aimed at the ruling party. He told the Herald last night the word switch was an example of the kind of dirty tricks the ruling party employs and had used against the opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim.

The article appeared in the New Straits Times and appears to be an attempt to discredit Senator Xenophon and Dr Anwar after the two met in recent days.

Headlined ''Anti-Islam Australian lawmaker comes under fire'', the article quotes from a 2009 speech the South Australian senator delivered in Parliament.

The article claims he said: ''Islam is not a religious organisation. It is a criminal organisation that hides behind its so-called religious beliefs.''

Hansard - the official record of the Australian Parliament - records his speech as: ''Scientology is not a religious organisation. It is a criminal organisation that hides behind its so-called religious beliefs.''

The press in Malaysia is often considered a mouthpiece of the ruling party that has controlled the country since independence. Senator Xenophon said he was seeking urgent legal advice to take the paper to court and wanted an immediate retraction.

Dr Anwar was sacked as deputy prime minister in the late 1990s and served a prison sentence for sodomy, only to be charged with the same offence again after his release in what appeared an effort to derail his political ambitions.

A Malaysian member of Parliament, Zahrain Mohamed Hashim, is quoted in the report saying Senator Xenophon was very outspoken against Islam and on lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender issues.

''Should we let someone like Xenophon influence our culture and moral values through politics? By confiding in Xenophon, is Anwar also supporting the LGBT movement?'' he said.

He said Dr Anwar should be challenged ''on why he sought Xenophon as a confidant, as clearly Xenophon stands against Islamic values''.

The New Straits Times refused to comment last night.

IMPARTIALITY QUESTIONED: Anti-Islam Australian lawmaker comes under fire

KUALA LUMPUR: AUSTRALIAN senator Nicholas Xenophon, who was an independent observer at Bersih 3.0 rally last Saturday, has come under scrutiny.

The lawmaker’s independence and neutrality, as well as his views on the rally, have come under scrutiny, particularly in the wake of his past association with opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

In an adjournment speech he made in the Australian Parliament on Nov 17, 2009, the lawmaker was seen to be critical of Islam as well as came out openly in support of “lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) issue.

An extract from his speech saw him saying: “What we are seeing is a worldwide pattern of abuse and criminality. On the body of evidence, this is not happening by accident; it is happening by design. Islam is not a religious organisation. It is a criminal organisation that hides behind its so-called religious beliefs.”

The independent senator also questioned whether Islam deserved any support.

In the same adjournment speech, Xenophon, touching on gay same-sex marriage, did not oppose it.

He went on to say other lawmakers would support same-sex marriage and it would eventually be passed as law to allow such unions to take place.

Commenting on the turn of events, Bayan Baru member of parliament Datuk Seri Zahrain Mohamed Hashim said this showed that Xenophon not only was very outspoken against Islam, but also defended the LGBT issue.

“Should we let someone like Xenophon influence our culture and moral values through politics? By confiding in Xenophon, is Anwar also supporting the LGBT movement?” he asked.

“I also challenge Pas’ ulama to question Anwar on why he sought Xenophon as a confidant, as clearly Xenophon stands against Islamic values.”