NFCorp boss loses suit against Nurul Izzah

NFCorp chairman Datuk Seri Mohamad Salleh Ismail (left), seen here with his lawyer Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah, is ordered by the court today to pay RM80,000 after losing his defamation suit against Lembah Pantai MP Nurul Izzah Anwar. – The Malaysian Insider file pic, March 4, 2016.

National Feedlot Corporation (NFCorp) executive chairman Datuk Seri Mohamad Salleh Ismail have lost his defamation suit against Lembah Pantai MP Nurul Izzah Anwar and PKR over a statement on the purchase of properties at KL Eco City.

In dismissing the suit, High Court Judge Datuk Hue Siew Kheng ruled that the statement by Nurul Izzah, as defendant, was not defamatory of Salleh.

"I agree with the defendant that the statement read as a whole is not defamatory of the plaintiff (Salleh) as the press statement was by Nurul Izzah in her capacity and position as Lembah Pantai MP," the judge said.

Hue said the statement was directed to Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil, the Lembah Pantai MP and also Salleh's wife, and a reasonable man would consider the article to be a call to accountability to Shahrizat in light of Pandan MP Rafizi Ramli's statement.

The court also ordered the plaintiffs to pay a total of RM80,000 in damages to the two defendants.

Salleh filed the suit against Nurul Izzah and PKR secretary-general at the time, Datuk Saifuddin Nasution, on December 24, 2013, alleging that Nurul Izzah had slandered in her comments on the disclosure by Rafizi, then the PKR strategic director, over alleged misappropriation by Salleh.

Rafizi had alleged that the plaintiffs had purchased eight units of properties at KL Eco City using NFCorp's funds.

The plaintiffs claimed that Nurul Izzah made the statement on Malaysiakini TV on March 7, 2012.

Counsel Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah acted for the plaintiffs, while Joshua Kevin represented the defendants. – Bernama