THE Kuala Lumpur High Court has ordered former prime minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin to pay Lim Guan Eng RM1.35 million in damages over defamatory remarks concerning the purported revocation of AlBukhary Foundation's tax exemption.
High Court Judicial Commissioner Roz Mawar Rozain ruled today that the former finance minister had successfully proven his case against Muhyiddin.
Lim claimed that the allegedly defamatory statements implied that he had abused his position and power by authorising or directing the Inland Revenue Board (LHDN) to impose taxes and penalties on the charitable foundation when it should not have been taxed.
“The statements had lowered his reputation in the eyes of an ordinary person,” Roz Mawar said in her judgment read out in court today.
She also ordered Muhyiddin to pay RM50,000 in costs to retract the offending statements and not to republish them.
She said the Pagoh MP made no attempt to verify the statement before issuing it, and that the allegation was baseless.
Lim, who was the finance minister between 2018 and 2020, filed the suit on March 27, seeking an apology from Muhyiddin and a retraction by him of three statements made on Facebook and in major newspapers and portals.
After the proceedings, the former Penang chief minister was seen shaking hands and receiving hugs from DAP leaders and supporters.
Muhyiddin was not present during the court session. - November 8, 2024
