Defamation suit against Clare Brown settled, but she still can’t come into the country

The defamation suit against Sarawak Report founder Clare Rewcastle Brown has been settled out of court, but there is no indication still if she will be allowed into the country.

As it stands now, the ban imposed by the Sarawak state government still stands.

That would mean when the suit against Brown comes up again at the Kuching High court on Aug 19, she will not be present.

Brown was sued by prominent businessman Tan Sri Leonard Linggi Jugah, politician Datuk Alexander Nanta Linggi, businessman Greame Iaan Brown, Asian Plantations (Sarawak) Sdn Bhd, Keresa Plantations Sdn Bhd and Rajang Wood Sdn Bhd.

The suit was filed in May this year after Brown had published an article on May 1 titled  "Dirty Dayak Datuks – BN crony candidates”, which was alleged to be defamatory.

And on Aug 19, the matter will be mentioned at the Kuching High Court so that the application proper to withdraw the suit can be recorded before a judge.

Her lawyer in Sarawak, See Chee How (pic), told The Malaysian Insider that the plaintiffs had agreed to withdraw the suit and there was no order as to cost.

“We entered the terms before a High Court senior assistant registrar in Kuching and parties have agreed to settle it out of court,” said See.

He said after the suit was filed by the plaintiffs in May, Brown has inserted addendums to the article to clarify certain facts in June.

He said the plaintiffs had agreed to discontinue the suit because of these amendments made to the article.

He said Brown did not need to issue an apology as the plaintiffs had themselves decided to withdraw the suit.

He, however, added the Brown’s entry ban still stands.

Brown had discovered she was banned from entering Sarawak when she was denied entry on July 3.

She had gone to the state to meet the lawyer to discuss the defamation case.

Brown, who is currently in the United Kingdom, told The Malaysian Insider via telephone last night that she was not present when her case was mentioned in court earlier this week due to the ban.

She said parties in the suit had come to a solution and the suit against her was withdrawn by the plaintiffs.

“But I would have been prepared to defend myself,” she said.

Brown, an investigative reporter, was served with a "Notice of Refusal of Entry" when she registered her arrival at the Immigration counter in the state last month. She later flew to Singapore and back to UK the same day.

“I was turned away as I tried to enter Sarawak to meet my lawyer and I believe I am also banned from entering Malaysia,” she said, adding that this case has nothing to do with the ban.

Brown is a British citizen who was born in Sarawak. She is also the sister-in-law of former British Prime Minister Gordon Brown.

She is the founder of Sarawak Report and Radio Free Sarawak which are openly critical of Chief Minister Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud and has written numerous reports of alleged graft in his government.