The High Court today rejected a defamation suit filed by Kedah Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Mukhriz Tun Mahathir against former DAP deputy chairman Tunku Abdul Aziz Tunku Ibrahim.
The case concerned allegations by the Tunku that there had been a secret pact to make Mukhriz Prime Minister if the Opposition won the 14th General Election (GE14).
Judge Dato’ Nordin Hassan, in his judgment said the statements did not expose Mukhriz to hatred and defamation which could humiliate him.
Lawyer Mohamed Haniff Khatri Abdulla, who represented Mukhriz, said he would get further instructions from his client on whether to file an appeal.
KUALA LUMPUR: The High Court today rejected a defamation suit filed by Kedah Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Mukhriz Tun Mahathir against former DAP deputy chairman Tunku Abdul Aziz Tunku Ibrahim over allegations there had been a secret pact to make Mukhriz Prime Minister if the Opposition won the 14th General Election (GE14).
Judge Datuk Nordin Hassan made the decision after finding that two statements issued by Tunku Abdul Aziz, respectively on Dec 30, 2016 and Jan 3, 2017, were not defamatory, and did not compromise the integrity and credibility of Mukhriz, as the plaintiff in the suit.
Nordin, in his judgment said the statements did not expose Mukhriz to hatred and defamation which could humiliate him.
“The statements made by the defendant in its original context is not as pleaded by the plaintiff in his claim, among other things, that the plaintiff is not transparent and honest in his political career, abandoned his political partners by hiding the secret pact, and is willing to do anything to become Prime Minister,” he added.
He said the court had found that the plaintiff failed to prove a case against the defendant.
“Hence, the plaintiff’s suit has been rejected, and is ordered to pay RM15,000 in costs to the defendant,” he said.
On Feb 7, 2017, Mukhriz filed a lawsuit claiming that on Dec 30, 2016, the defendant had issued a statement entitled, “There indeed, is a secret pact between Tun (Dr) Mahathir (Mohamad) and (Lim) Kit Siang”, which was reported on the blog, ‘AIDCNews’.
Mukhriz claimed that on Jan 1, 2017, he had openly denied the allegation and demanded the defendant to back up the defamatory statement with proof, failing which, the former would take legal action against the defendant.
However, on Jan 3, 2017, the defendant issued another statement in an article titled, “Tunku Abdul Aziz urges Mukhriz, Kit Siang to file Statutory Declarations”, which was published in a portal.
Meanwhile, lawyer Mohamed Haniff Khatri Abdulla, who represented Mukhriz said he would get further instructions from his client on whether to file an appeal.
Source: The Edge Markets
