PUTRAJAYA, Jan 25 — The Court of Appeal here today reinstated Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s RM100 million defamation suit against Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Anifah Aman.
A three-member panel led by Justice Datuk Ramly Ali unanimously allowed Anwar’s appeal to reinstate his civil suit against Anifah(picture) in his personal capacity.
The case was also ordered to be remitted back to the High Court for trial before another judge.
The panel, also comprising Justices Datuk Anantham Kasinater and Datuk David Wong Dak Wah, however, dismissed with costs Anwar’s appeal to reinstate his suit against Anifah, in his official capacity as the foreign minister and the Government of Malaysia.
On January 5, last year, the Kuala Lumpur High Court had allowed Anifah and the government’s application to strike out Anwar’s suit against them over an allegation that the minister was claimed to have made in May 2010, during a press conference at the State Department in Washington.
The panel ordered Anwar to pay RM10,000 in legal costs.
Anifah’s lawyer Datuk Seri Datuk Seri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah told the court that he had received instructions to bring the matter up to the Federal Court.
On May 27, 2009, Anwar sued Anifah in his personal and official capacities and the government, claiming he had been defamed during a joint news conference by Anifah and the United States Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
In his statement of claim, Anwar alleged that Anifah’s claims were baseless, unfounded and grossly negligent and had been widely reported in the local and foreign media.
Anwar is seeking RM100 million in compensatory, aggravated and exemplary damages, costs and other relief deemed fit by the court.
Anwar was represented by lawyer R.Sivarasa while Senior Federal Counsel Amarjeet Singh represented Anifah, in his official capacity and the government. — Bernama
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