TANAH Merah MP Ikmal Hisham Abdul Aziz has rejected an apology from photographer Sadiq Asyraf who accused him of vaping in the Dewan Rakyat, his lawyer said.

Ikmal’s lawyer, Mohamad Siddiq Mohd Azani, said that the apology did not meet “required conditions” and was therefore unacceptable. 

The lawyer added that Ikmal wanted Sadiq to admit his mistake and acknowledge that the Perikatan Nasional lawmaker was not vaping. 

“Ikmal does not accept (Sadiq’s apology) because the apology was not in accordance with what we want.

“We want him to admit he was wrong, to admit it was not a vape,” he told The Malaysian Insight.

Sadiq, who is Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s photographer, had issued an apology on social media platform X, stating that he was sorry for any misunderstanding regarding the object Ikmal was holding in the photo. 

However, he did not mention Ikmal by name or specify who the apology was directed at. 

The controversy began on September 19, when Sadiq posted a photo of Ikmal leaving the Dewan Rakyat with a caption that suggested the Tanah Merah MP was vaping. 

This prompted Dewan Rakyat secretary Nizam Mydin Bacha Mydin to seek clarification from Ikmal. In response, Ikmal denied the allegation and said that he was holding a pen to his lips. 

Ikmal subsequently sent a legal notice demanding an apology from Sadiq for making a false and defamatory statement. 

He also demanded that Sadiq retract his claim and refrain from making similar accusations in the future. – October 21, 2023.