KUALA LUMPUR: The High Court yesterday ordered Sungai Besar Umno chief Datuk Seri Jamal Md Yunos to pay RM300,000 to former Bersih 2.0 chairman Maria Chin Abdullah after finding him liable for defaming the woman by linking Bersih or the Coalition for Clean and Fair Election with the Daesh millitant group.
Judge Datuk Mohd Zaki Abdul Wahab said the court found that Jamal’s statements clearly referred to Maria Chin, now Petaling Jaya MP, despite the fact that there was no mention of her name.
He said the court also found that the statements made by Jamal were defamatory in nature and had brought about negative impact and tarnished the good name of the MP.
“He also failed to prove the facts of his comments,” said the judge who also ordered Jamal to pay cost of RM40,000 to Maria Chin who was represented by lawyer N Surendran.
Maria Chin filed the defamation suit on Oct 7, 2016, naming Jamal, the Red Shirts or Gerakan Merah Malaysia (GMM) leader, as the defendant for allegedly linking Bersih 2.0 with the Daesh militant group.
She claimed that during the press conference at the Putra World Trade Centre on Sept 28, 2016, and later at the Bukit Aman Police headquarters on Oct 4, 2016, Jamal had uttered slanderous words against her and Bersih, which were picked up and published by online, print and electronic media.
Speaking to reporters later, Maria Chin said the court’s decision yesterday proved that the coalition was not a militant group as claimed by the defendant and that the Bersih 2.0 had a ‘clean’ agenda.
Jamal’s lawyer Nasir Yusof said they would file an appeal.
Jamal was not present during the proceedings. — Bernama