Scandal-plagued National Feedlot Corporation (NFC) is demanding that PKR strategy director Rafizi Ramli and news portal Malaysiakinipay up a total of RM500 million in compensation for publishing alleged defamatory reports about it.
NFC is upset over a March 7 posting in Malay made by Rafizi on his blog, titled "NFC Scandal: Evidence of how public funds for the Feedlot project were used as 'guarantee' for personal loan to purchase eight luxury properties at KL Eco City, Bangsar."
The letter also referred to aMalaysiakini.tv video recording of Rafizi's press conference on March 7 titled "More properties in Bangsar bought by NFC directors."
The letter of demand, which was delivered to Rafizi and Mkini Dot Com Sdn Bhd this morning by registered mail, was sent by law firm Wan Shahrizal, Hari & Co.
It states that the reports had defamed NFC and its chairperson Mohamad Salleh Ismail as well as NFC's parent company Agroscience Industries Sdn Bhd.
Also affected, the letter claims, is Real Food Company Sdn Bhd, which is also owned by Salleh's family.
The publications, it said, had imputed that Mohamad Salleh(left), NFC and the related companies were dishonest, criminal, unworthy of credit, unreliable and untrustworthy.
As such, they are demanding that Rafizi pays RM300 million in compensation and Malaysiakini, RM200 million.
The letter also demands that both Rafizi and Malaysiakini provide a "full and unequivocal apology and retraction on terms approved by the 'injured' parties, which should be published in two national newspapers, and a written undertaking that such publications would not be repeated.
NFC is upset over a March 7 posting in Malay made by Rafizi on his blog, titled "NFC Scandal: Evidence of how public funds for the Feedlot project were used as 'guarantee' for personal loan to purchase eight luxury properties at KL Eco City, Bangsar."The letter also referred to aMalaysiakini.tv video recording of Rafizi's press conference on March 7 titled "More properties in Bangsar bought by NFC directors."
The letter of demand, which was delivered to Rafizi and Mkini Dot Com Sdn Bhd this morning by registered mail, was sent by law firm Wan Shahrizal, Hari & Co.
It states that the reports had defamed NFC and its chairperson Mohamad Salleh Ismail as well as NFC's parent company Agroscience Industries Sdn Bhd.
Also affected, the letter claims, is Real Food Company Sdn Bhd, which is also owned by Salleh's family.
The publications, it said, had imputed that Mohamad Salleh(left), NFC and the related companies were dishonest, criminal, unworthy of credit, unreliable and untrustworthy.As such, they are demanding that Rafizi pays RM300 million in compensation and Malaysiakini, RM200 million.
The letter also demands that both Rafizi and Malaysiakini provide a "full and unequivocal apology and retraction on terms approved by the 'injured' parties, which should be published in two national newspapers, and a written undertaking that such publications would not be repeated.
Rafizi: I don't have RM300mil to pay
When contacted, Rafizi said he would discuss the matter with his lawyers.
"If I have to go to court then I will, for I don't have RM300 million to pay. As for the apology and retraction, I have no intention of doing that," he said.
"If I have to go to court then I will, for I don't have RM300 million to pay. As for the apology and retraction, I have no intention of doing that," he said.
Rafizi’s blog posting was attached with documents which he claimed showed how NFC funds were used as leverage to purchase eight commercial properties in Bangsar.
The press conference recorded by Malaysiakini.tv on the same day of the posting was also related to the alleged property purchases.
Aside from the video, Malaysiakini had also produced a news story of the same press conference with the same title as the video concerned.
Also published in that story was NFC’s denial of Rafizi’s claim which read: “NFC wishes to state that the properties have not been purchased by the company. The purchase has been the private investment of individual directors”.
NFC appeared to make good on its threat to sue Rafizi with the commencement of legal action today.
However, this is the first time the company had targeted the media with legal action.
Prior to this, NFC had lodged a complaint with Bank Negara against Rafizi for 21 breaches of revealing private and confidential banking details that are protected under Part XIII of the Banking and Financial Institutions Act (Bafia) 1989, on secrecy and information.
The company had charged that Rafizi violated the Bafia after he exposed alleged financial abuses by the company based on information provided by a whistleblower at a bank.
NFC is accused of abusing part of a RM250 million government loan intended for managing the national beef valley on luxury properties and holidays.
Its chairperson Mohamad Salleh was on March 4 charged with two counts of criminal breach of trust involving close to RM50 million in funds and another two counts of of violating the Companies Act.
The press conference recorded by Malaysiakini.tv on the same day of the posting was also related to the alleged property purchases.
Aside from the video, Malaysiakini had also produced a news story of the same press conference with the same title as the video concerned.
Also published in that story was NFC’s denial of Rafizi’s claim which read: “NFC wishes to state that the properties have not been purchased by the company. The purchase has been the private investment of individual directors”.
NFC appeared to make good on its threat to sue Rafizi with the commencement of legal action today.
However, this is the first time the company had targeted the media with legal action.
Prior to this, NFC had lodged a complaint with Bank Negara against Rafizi for 21 breaches of revealing private and confidential banking details that are protected under Part XIII of the Banking and Financial Institutions Act (Bafia) 1989, on secrecy and information.
The company had charged that Rafizi violated the Bafia after he exposed alleged financial abuses by the company based on information provided by a whistleblower at a bank.
NFC is accused of abusing part of a RM250 million government loan intended for managing the national beef valley on luxury properties and holidays.
Its chairperson Mohamad Salleh was on March 4 charged with two counts of criminal breach of trust involving close to RM50 million in funds and another two counts of of violating the Companies Act.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.