THE Human Resource Development Corporation (HRD Corp) has withdrawn its letter of demand against The Malaysian Insight and The Vibes for defamation.
Law firm Amrit & Company, representing HRD Corp, said its letter of demand issued to TMI on July 15 has been retracted.
“We are instructed by HRD Corp to retract the said letter of demand on July 15,” they said.
The letter of demand sent on Monday stated that the TMI article titled “HRD Corp fails audit, mishandling of funds revealed” contained impugned statements towards HRD Corp.
Earlier, Human Resources Minister Steven Sim said HRD Corp has withdrawn its letter of demand against The Edge Communications Sdn Bhd and one of its writers.
The minister said he disagreed with the actions of HRD Corp, which fall under the ministry, as he believed in media freedom.
“When I received word of the matter, I instructed HRD Corp to retract (the letter of demand). It was retracted yesterday, even before the PAC held a press conference on the matter today.
“I believe in press freedom in this country. This has always been my principle,” he told the media during a press conference in parliament.
PAC (Public Accounts Committee) chairman Mas Ermieyati Samsudin had earlier held a press conference to say it took a serious view of the HRD Corp move.
The PAC chief said it viewed the threat as an attempt to pressure the media to not publish the committee’s report on HRD Corp.
HRD Corp said TMI article suggested that it had failed its audit, mishandled its funds, made decisions that did not follow procedures, and failed to protect its own interests to achieve its objectives.
It demanded that the article be taken down and a formal apology be published on TMI’s own website within 48 hours of the date of the letter.
It also sought damages for the alleged grievances it claimed to have suffered. – July 17, 2024.
