KUALA LUMPUR: While her suit against her former restaurant business partner Datuk Azlina Che Abdullah is still pending in court, drama producer and actress Sheila Rusly was yesterday slapped with a defamation suit by Azlina.Azlina filed the RM5 million suit against the publisher of Berita Harian, Berita Harian Sdn Bhd and Sheila at the High Court registrar’s office here through Messrs Azahir Surainie & Azizan Arif.
On Jan 21, 2006, Sheila filed a suit against Azlina for breaching an oral agreement over Restoran Nasi Dagang House, which served East Coast cuisine.
The hearing of the case will continue for three days from July 14.
Yesterday, the suit filed by Azlina against Berita Harian and Sheila was over three articles headlined “Nasi Dagang House Sheila Rusly Bungkus” (Sheila Rusly’s Nasi Dagang House Goes Bust”, “Sheila Rusly Minta Nasihat Peguam” (Sheila Rusly Seeks Lawyer’s Advice) and “Ramai Simpati Nasib Sheila” (Many Sympathise with Sheila’s Plight) which appeared in the newspaper on Oct 9, 12 and 14, 2005 respectively.
Azlina’s counsel Mohd Firuz Jaffril, when asked why the defamation suit was filed only now, said they felt it was not a suitable time then.
In her statement of claim, Azlina, a businensswoman, alleged that Berita Harian had published defamatory words, which among others, meant that she was a wicked businesswoman, had a bad heart and had made Sheila Rusly suffer by closing the restaurant business.
She stated that the words in the articles were published without obtaining the true facts from her.
Azlina said her lawyer had sent two letters dated Oct 17, 2005 and Nov 30, 2005 to the publisher of Berita Harian and also to Sheila on Nov 16, 2005 for them to apologise to her and also to claim damages, but these were ignored.
She said because of the defamatory words published, she had suffered losses and was claiming RM5 million in damages, costs and other relief deeemed fit. — Bernama