THE High Court in Shah Alam has ordered former journalist Datuk Yazid Othman to pay RM200,000 in damages to DAP Vice-President Teo Nie Ching after ruling in her favour in a defamation lawsuit.
In a Facebook post, Teo said the decision was delivered by Justice Alice Loke Yee Ching, who found that Yazid had defamed her during a public forum held on 26 February 2021, entitled "Buku Teks Sejarah Dimanipulasi – Komunis Pula Diagungkan" (History Textbooks Manipulated – Communists Glorified).
“The High Court judge allowed my suit and awarded RM200,000 in damages, with five per cent annual interest from the date of judgment until full settlement, along with RM30,000 in costs,” Bernama reported Teo saying.
The Kulai MP said that in her summary judgment, the judge held that the elements of defamation were proven and that Yazid had failed to establish the defences of justification, fair comment and qualified privilege.
“The judge also found that there was malice in Yazid’s statements about me,” added the Deputy Minister of Communications.
Teo had filed the civil suit at the High Court in Shah Alam following the live-streamed forum on several social media platforms, during which Yazid was serving as Deputy Chairman of the NGO Secretariat Against Form Four History Textbook (BST4).
During the event, Yazid allegedly claimed that Teo, in her capacity as Deputy Education Minister between 2018 and 2020, had instructed government officials to alter the Form Four history textbook published by the Ministry of Education to “promote and publicise the communist struggle”.
“I welcome the court’s decision. I have cleared my name of these baseless allegations. I would like to thank my lawyers Syahredzan Johan and Amanda Wong Yoke Ting for their assistance,” said Teo. - August 29, 2025
