KUALA LUMPUR – Shah Alam MP Khalid Abdul Samad’s “sial” remarks have been deemed not defamatory as the high court here dropped the suit filed by Pasir Salak MP Datuk Seri Tajuddin Abdul Rahman.
The defamation suit named Amanah’s Khalid and two news outlets as defendants.
Judicial commissioner Latifah Mohd Tahar, in dismissing the suit, ruled that the statements made by Khalid against Tajuddin had not defamed the latter.
The suit was initiated against Khalid, KiniTV, and New Straits Times Press Bhd (NSTP) back in 2017 over several press conferences held by the Amanah communication director.
Khalid’s press conferences were related to Tajuddin’s remark, calling DAP’s Teresa Kok as the “only woman with a Kok” during a Dewan Rakyat sitting in 2016.
Following Tajuddin’s remark, Khalid had called him out in Dewan Rakyat, calling him “sial”, which loosely translates as “damned” or “cursed”.
Khalid later stood by his “sial” remarks against the Umno man during subsequent press conferences reported by NSTP and KiniTV, which later became the subject matter of the suit.
Tajuddin separately accused Khalid of defaming him through another clip published on KiniTV.
His suit asserted that Khalid wrongly accused the Umno man of being involved in a scuffle outside the Parliament building in November 2016, where Khalid was roughed up by several men.
KiniTV was also sued by Tajuddin for publishing Khalid’s comments, implicating him in the scuffle outside Parliament.
Reports at that time had claimed that culprits behind the melee were apparently members of the Pasir Salak Umno division, which supposedly included Tajuddin’s son, Faisal.
According to Free Malaysia Today, Latifah, when dismissing the suit today, ruled that the “sial” remark by Khalid was made after Tajuddin had made an “unparliamentary statement” directed at the DAP leader.
“Looking at the chronology in totality, the controversy started when the plaintiff (Tajuddin) made sexist remarks against the Seputeh MP in Dewan Rakyat.
“As an MP and a former deputy minister, the remark was uncalled for and tarnished the parliamentary institution.
“The suit is dismissed with costs,” Latifah was quoted as saying.
Tajuddin was represented by Hasnal Rezua Merican, while SN Nair acted for Khalid.
Rueben Mathiavaranam appeared on behalf of NSTP, while K. Shanmuga represented KiniTV. – The Vibes, February 22, 2022
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