Umno withdraws defamation suit against Tian Chua over Lahad Datu intrusion

Umno has withdrawn its defamation suit against Tian Chua (pic) who had allegedly linked the party to the Lahad Datu intrusion by Sulu terrorists last year.

This follows an out-of-court settlement today by both parties where a consent judgement was recorded in chambers before judicial commissioner Rosilah Yop.

Lawyer Datuk Hafarizam Harun, who represented Umno executive secretary Datuk Ab Rauf Yusoh, said the matter has come to an amicable end without an order for costs.

PKR vice-president Tian Chua, whose real name is Chua Tian Chang, expressed regret over the  article and said the report would be removed from KeadilanDaily.com as soon as possible.

"The plaintiff accepted my explanation that I had no intention of painting a negative picture, that Umno was the conspirator of the intrusion," he said.

The trial had been scheduled for two days from today.

Ab Rauf Yusoh, as the public officer of Umno, had been scheduled to be the first witness to testify for the party.

Two reporters from the mainstream print media were also scheduled to testify against Tian Chua.

Umno had named Tian Chua, KeadilanDaily.com editor Fazillah Pit and writer Aisha Geoffrey as defendants.

The defendants had planned to call four witnesses – the three defendants and a sub-editor from KeadilanDaily to give evidence.

In its statement of claim, Umno claimed that Tian Chua had accused the party of being a conspirator to the shooting incident and thereby implied it was a traitor to the country.

It said that a libellous article had been published on the online portal KeadilanDaily.com on March 1 under the heading "Insiden tembakan di Lahad Datu konspirasi terancang Umno – Tian (Shooting incident at Lahad Datu a planned conspiracy of Umno – Tian).

Umno, which filed the suit on March 15, said Aisha had contacted Tian Chua on March 1 where he had slandered the party in relation to its conduct.

Umno sought an injunction to prevent the defendants from publishing similar words, damages, an apology and costs.

Tian Chua in his defence said he did not defame Umno in any manner.

In the joint defence statement, Fazallah and Aisha said that Umno had failed to show that it had suffered any special losses following the publication of the report.