Pandan MP Rafizi Ramli, who is being sued for defamation by Datuk Seri Najib Razak and his wife Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor for remarks related to fuel prices made at a forum, said the couple was "practising selective prosecution" against him.
Rafizi and Mediarakyat portal owner, Chan Chee Kong, in their amendment to a countersuit against the prime minister and Rosmah, said the couple was selective in picking them as targets.
"There are many parties that made adverse comments about Najib and Rosmah on public interest issues but they were selective in picking my client," said lawyer Ng Siau Sun, who is representing Rafizi.
Ng said the amendment which was filed last week was supported with instances of Najib and Rosmah being criticised by others but no legal action was instituted.
Rafizi had earlier filed his defence and a counter claim against the defamation suit, citing the couple's action in going to court an abuse of process.
Rafizi, who is also PKR secretary-general, said Najib and Rosmah were also curtailing his freedom of speech, a right protected under Article 10 of the Federal Constitution.
High Court judge Datuk Noraini Abdul Rahman will meet lawyers to give further instructions during a case management on August 5.
Rafizi, who is also PKR secretary-general, said Najib and Rosmah were also curtailing his freedom of speech, a right protected under Article 10 of the Federal Constitution.
High Court judge Datuk Noraini Abdul Rahman will meet lawyers to give further instructions during a case management on August 5.
The Malaysian Insider on June 5 reported that Rafizi in his defence to the defamation suit, said the remarks against Najib and Rosmah were made in jest.
"Those particular words uttered must be understood in the right context. It did not amount to defamation," he said in documents sighted by The Malaysian Insider.
Rafizi said rising fuel prices would allow Rosmah to buy more diamond rings.
Rafizi is also relying on the defence of fair comment and qualified privilege to have the suit dismissed.
The suit against Rafizi was filed at the Kuala Lumpur High Court registry on March 16 by Messrs Hafarizam Wan & Aisha Mubarak, the solicitors for Najib and Rosmah.
Also named as defendant in the suit is Chan.
In their statement of claim, the couple said Rafizi had uttered defamatory remarks relating to rising fuel prices at a forum in Bandar Tun Razak on November 22, 2014.
Najib and Rosmah said Rafizi's speech in a video titled "Kenapa kita pertahan subsidi minyak" (Why we defend petrol subsidies) was recorded by Mediarakyat, and Chan or his assistants uploaded it on YouTube for the world at large to have access.
The video is also on Rafizi's Facebook page.
Najib and Rosmah said Rafizi's speech in the video was clearly intended to defame them.
They said Chan also failed to subscribe to the principles of responsible journalism for his failure to verify the allegation before the video was made available for public consumption.
“The defendants knew that any publication will bring irreparable damage to us and lower our reputation in the minds of the public," the statement of claim said.
Najib and Rosmah are seeking damages deemed fit by the court and a public apology to be published in newspapers and magazines.
They are also demanding that Chan remove the video from YouTube, Mediarakyat and Facebook.
- TMI
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