Ahmad Zahid defamation suit against Rafizi struck off by High Court

Home Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi withdrew his defamation suit against opposition lawmaker Rafizi Ramli (pic) after the latter made an open declaration in court that he was satisfied with Zahid's (pic) explanation that he played no role in Boustead Holdings Berhad's transactions to acquire shares in Astacanggih Sdn Bhd and development land parcels from Awan Megah Sdn Bhd.

Rafizi, in the presence of Ahmad Zahid in court today, also stated that he was therefore withdrawing the wrongful statements on the issue of the home minister's involvement, which he had made in his blog on December 29.

Astacanggih is owned by controversial carpet dealer Deepak Jaikishan while Awan Megah is linked to Umno politician Datuk Raja Ropiah Abdullah.

Previously, Astacanggih had sued Awan Megah for breach of contract, with Deepak claiming his company had in May 2007 entered into an agreement with Awan Megah to acquire government land that was awarded to them.

Awan Megah was awarded the land and a cash consideration in exchange for developing a defence education centre called Pusat Pengajian Pertahanan Nasional (Puspahanas) in Putrajaya.

The project is currently stalled.

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DAP gives Utusan Malaysia 48 hours to answer letter of demand

DAP national legal head Gobind Singh Deo (pic) has given Umno-controlled daily Utusan Malaysia 48 hours to respond to a letter of demand over two defamatory articles.

The two articles headlined "At last the drama has ended" and "Kit Siang manipulated CEC elections?", were dated August 17 and 18.

The first article quoted the Equity Report said to be written by a Father Augustus Chen, while the other report was that DAP adviser Lim Kit Siang had manipulated the party polls last December.

"The article quoting the Equity Report had no verification. Editor Zulkifli Jalil and reporter Kasthuri Jeevendran as well as Utusan Malaysia, have to answer all the allegations," Gobind said at the party's headquarters in Kuala Lumpur today.

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Karpal, Anwar to sue Umno man, Utusan, NST, TV3 over bribery claim

Pakatan Rakyat (PR) leaders Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and Karpal Singh said today they will sue Barisan Nasional (BN)’s Permatang Pauh candidate Dr Mazlan Ismail and three media outlets next week for defamation over corruption claims.

Karpal also denied Mazlan’s allegations that he was paid over RM50 million by Anwar as legal fees and to bribe judges and prosecutors.

“They’re ridiculous, frivolous, without any basis and made recklessly,” Karpal told reporters at the PKR headquarters here today, after lodging a police report jointly with Anwar on the matter.

“We intend to collate the necessary evidence to file actions against TV3, Utusan and New Straits Times, and of course, Mazlan himself,” added the DAP chairman.

Media Prima, which publishes the English daily New Straits Times, is owned by Umno. The ruling party also owns the Utusan Group that publishes Utusan Malaysia, a Malay-language daily. TV3 is a news network operated by Media Prima.

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Haul up Utusan over ‘false news’, DAP demands

Umno-owned Utusan Malaysia must be punished for disseminating “false news” that the police planned to use the Sedition Act over the Seri Pristana fiasco, DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng demanded today.

According to the Bagan MP, this was a new low even for the newspaper that “openly called for the bloody May 13 racial riots that killed thousands of innocent Malaysians to be celebrated as a holy day.”

“Nothing is beyond Utusan Malaysia,” Lim (picture) said in a statement.

“[The] public had had enough of lies spread by Utusan Malaysia to foment fear and hate amongst Malaysia’s multi-religious society.”

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6 win suit over arrest, detention in 2007 Read more: 6 win suit over arrest, detention in 2007

5 lawyers and 1 activist receive RM10,000 each

KUALA LUMPUR: FIVE lawyers and an activist were awarded RM10,000 each after they won a suit against the police and government over wrongful arrest and detention during a walk to mark the World Human Rights Day in 2007.

High Court judge Datuk John Louis O'Hara yesterday allowed the civil suit filed by lawyers R. Sivarasa, N. Surendran, Latheefa Koya, Eric Paulsen, Amer Hamzah Arshad and activist Johny Andu @ Abu Bakar Adnan, ruling that their arrest and subsequent detention by the police were illegal.

In the suit filed on Dec 8, 2010, the plaintiffs had named the then Dang Wangi police deputy chief Superintendent Che Hamzah Che Ismail, inspector-general of police, home ministry and the government as defendants.

Gobind’s suspension case: Dewan Rakyat speaker gets leave to appeal to Federal Court

The Federal Court will decide whether the court can interfere with the punishment imposed by Parliament on its members for misconduct.

This key constitutional point on separation of powers would be dealt by the apex court in the hearing of an appeal brought by the Dewan Rakyat speaker against a Kuala Lumpur High Court declaration that Puchong Member of Parliament Gobind Singh Deo's suspension was legal, but Parliament could not deprive him of his remuneration and other privileges.

In March this year, the Court of Appeal upheld the High Court's decision.

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Former senior cop sues six mainstream newspapers

A former senior police officer has filed a defamation suit against six mainstream newspapers alleging he was a "victim" of a smear campaign.

Former Commercial Crimes Investigation Department chief Datuk Ramli Yusuff filed the suit against six media publishers – New Straits Times, The Star, Berita Harian, Utusan Malaysia, Daily Express and Borneo Post - at the Kuala Lumpur High Court recently.

He also named the editors and reporters of The New Straits Times Press (M) Bhd, Star Publications (Malaysia) Bhd, Berita Harian Sdb Bhd, Utusan Melayu (Malaysia) Bhd, Sabah Publishing House Sdn Bhd and See Hua Marketing as defendants.

According to the statement of claim, Ramli said his name was tarnished following reports in 2007 over the development of an area in Lahad Datu, Sabah.

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Gobind’s jab infuriates Home Minister

Home Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi got into a heated exchange today with Gobind Singh Deo and other opposition MPs over a police report made against him for alleged assault.

It started when Gobind, the MP for Puchong, asked the home minister why there was no police investigation when a report was lodged that a person had physically abused and threatened another person.

"I am referring to none other than you minister," said Gobind. Ahmad Zahid sat quietly as other MPs voiced support for him or Gobind.

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Nizar wins defamation suit against Utusan

Datuk Seri Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin has won his defamation suit against Utusan Melayu (M) Bhd over the WWW1 number plate bought by the Johor Sultan.
High Court judge Justice Rosnaini Saub ordered Utusan to pay RM250, 000 to Nizar in damages and five percent interest from Thursday to its full settlement.

She awarded him costs of RM30,000.

In his statement of claim, Nizar had said that the defendant had implied that Nizar had tried to incite the people to hate the Sultan of Johor.

Nizar claimed the statement also meant that he had alleged that the Johor ruler had misused public funds to pay RM520,000 for the plate number.

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Woman detained for allegedly insulting Agong on Facebook

A woman has been detained for allegedly insulting Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Abdul Halim Mu'adzam Shah on Facebook.

A Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) spokesperson said the woman was detained by the commission with the assistance of the Bukit Aman Commercial Crime Investigations Department Tuesday morning.

"We have successfully tracked and detained the suspect, who was said to have insulted the Yang di-Pertuan Agong on Facebook.

"The suspect, who is female, was detained to assist in investigations," he said in a statement Tuesday.

He added that the suspect was believed to have been in hiding after her identity was revealed on the Internet following the alleged insult.

"The commission is also requesting for the suspect's friends to come forward to assist in further investigations.

"The investigation was done under Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998," he said, adding that the suspect might also be charged under the Sedition Act 1948.

He said the MCMC viewed seriously the abuse of social media to upload content or comments containing elements of insult, especially against the monarchy.

Raja Nong Chik lodges police report against Nurul Izzah

Lembah Pantai Umno division head Datuk Raja Nong Chik Raja Zainal Abidin today lodged a police report on a statement made by the Lembah Pantai Member of Parliament Nurul Izzah Anwar linking him to the purchase of 4.856 hectares of land in Bukit Kiara.

He said the report was to enable the police to investigate the statement made by Nurul Izzah, who is also Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) vice-president, one day before polling for the 13th general election.

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Umno sues PAS’ Mustafa Ali over sex video distribution allegation

Datuk Mustafa Ali

PAS secretary-general Datuk Mustafa Ali is being sued by Umno and two others over alleged libelous statements linking the party to the distribution of a sex video clip which shows a man resembling him.

The suit stated that Mustafa and his lawyer Asmuni Awi had caused the publication of five defamatory articles against Umno on April 12 and 13 in.

Umno executive secretary Datuk Ab. Rauf Yusoh filed the defamation suit Tuesday.

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M. Manoharan to go to trial to settle RM3.9mil claim against land owners

The Court of Appeal ordered lawyer M. Manoharan to go to trial to settle his claim for RM3.9mil in legal and consultation fees for allegedly acting for two land owners.

Reveal MAS-Tajudin settlement, says Pakatan

Malaysia Airlines (MAS) should disclose its terms of settlement with its ex-chairman Tan Sri Tajudin Ramli, Pakatan Rakyat (PR) leaders have said, adding that the lack of transparency was unacceptable as millions of taxpayers’ money were at stake.

Last Friday, MAS settled out of court its three lawsuits against Tajudin (picture), a move the national carrier described as “considerably viable”.

“He (Tajudin) has agreed to surrender valuable land in Langkawi where the Four Seasons Hotel stands,” a court source told The Malaysian Insider on condition of anonymity.

“What exactly is the value of the land in Langkawi which is able to settle all outstanding disputes with MAS?” asked Tony Pua, the DAP’s national publicity secretary.

He said the settlement was “highly suspicious” and “MAS has no right to claim this being a private company settlement because it has been bailed out one too many times with taxpayers’ money.

Bersih not liable for actions of people - Six say Peaceful Assembly Act unconstitutional

Six say Peaceful Assembly Act unconstitutional


BERSIH 2.0 is not vicariously liable for the actions of thousands of persons who attended the April 28 rally, its co-chairman Datuk S. Ambiga said.

She and five other Bersih 2.0 steering committee members have filed counterclaims against the government seeking a declaration that the Peaceful Assembly Act 2012 is unconstitutional.

Senior Federal Counsel Azizan Md Arshad told the High Court yesterday that the government had received the counter-claims and statements of defence from Ambiga, Maria Chin Abdullah, Zaid Kamarudin, K. Arumugam, S. Arul Prakkash and Andrew Khoo.

The government had filed a suit against Ambiga and nine others for damage to public property during the April 28 Bersih 3.0 rally.

Beautician sues hubby’s lawyer

Crying foul: Sri Wani wants to clear her name.

: Beauty care boutique owner Sri Wani Choo Abdullah, accused by her husband of being a man, has filed a RM10mil suit against his lawyer for allegedly defaming her through media statements on the issue.

She named syariah lawyer Muhammad Hafiz Abdul Rashid and his legal firm Irsamuddin Hafiz and Associates as first and second defendants in her summons in connection with statements made by him at the High Court here on April 5. She filed her claim at the same court yesterday.

Sri Wani, 37, married former Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia dean Dr Bahrom Sanugi, 61, in Songkhla, Thailand, on Aug 19, 2009. He took her as his third wife.

Irene Fernandez says cops yet to call over sedition probe

Investigated for sedition, prominent activist Irene Fernandez said today the police have yet to contact her for statements into her alleged remarks on Malaysia being unsafe for migrant workers, published in an Indonesian daily recently.

The Tenaganita executive director told The Malaysian Insider she was not aware of the investigation and had not received any phone calls from the police.

“No, no there were no calls,” she said when contacted, sounding surprised.


Fernandez (picture) declined to respond today, saying she will hold a press conference on Monday instead.

Cops probing Irene Fernandez for sedition over ‘unsafe Malaysia’ remark

Police have opened an investigation paper on Irene Fernandez for sedition, following the prominent activist’s remarks that Malaysia was unsafe for migrant workers, published in an Indonesian paper recently.

City Criminal Investigation Department (CID) chief Datuk Ku Chin Wah said the investigation was based on two police reports filed two days ago.

Tengku Fakhry, Malay Mail reach settlement over suit

File pix: Kelantan State, Prince Tengku Muhammad Fakhry Petra (centre) filed a RM 50 million defamation suit against the Malay Mail and 3 others at the Kuala Lumpur Hight Court, Jalan Duta.

The defamation suit by Kelantan prince Tengku Muhammad Fakhry Petra against The Malay Mail and two others over a report relating to the attempted murder of the Kelantan palace guard, two years ago, has been settled.

Tengku Muhammad Fakhry's lawyer A. S. Dhaliwal, told reporters that High Court Judge Datin Zabariah Mohd Yusof recorded a consent judgment in chambers after both parties had reached the settlement.

He however said the amount of settlement cannot be disclosed.

Guan Eng to sue NST, calls daily ‘evil’ over state secret claims

Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said today he is planning to sue the New Straits Times (NST) over claims that he had leaked national secrets after the newspaper omitted him from an apology to two other personalities over an article it admitted was without any foundation or basis.

The NST, Berita Minggu and Mingguan Malaysia apologised to Datuk Seri Kalimullah Hassan on October 23 for alleging that he had leaked state secrets at a dinner with leaders of Singapore’s ruling PAP party.


All three acknowledged that the claim, made by Perkasa information chief Ruslan Kassim, was without any foundation or basis.

The weekend papers also promised not to publish further allegations of this nature involving the ECM Libra Financial Group Bhd chairman without prior verification.