Court fixes date for Ismail Sabri's suit against settler

Former rural development minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob filed suit against a Felda settler in Bera for allegedly defaming him in a Facebook posting last year, by alleging that he had abused his ministerial power in awarding contracts in relation to the GiatMara training network and other projects there.

The hearing of the suit has been fixed for Aug 13 to 17, before Kuala Lumpur High Court judge Justice Mohd Firuz Jaffril.

The dates were informed to the press following case management today.

Ismail, who is also Umno vice-president and Bera MP, filed the suit last December against contractor Zaid Omar, following a Facebook post the latter made on Sept 26 last year.

Claiming the post was defamatory, Ismail said it suggested that he had abused his position as a minister, bypassed the ministry’s director-general to appoint a contractor for GiatMara in Bera, and engaged another contractor to revitalise an abandoned low-cost housing project there.

Zaid claimed the briefing for the projects were done in the Bera Umno building.

Ismail claimed Zaid had acted in bad faith when he posted on Facebook, without seeking clarification from him before putting it up. He claimed the post suggested he was not qualified to be a minister.

"The allegation is an attack to my reputation, character, and resulted in me facing public odium," Ismail said in his statement of claim sighted by Malaysiakini.

Ismail is seeking RM500,000 in general damages, further aggravated and exemplary damages, an injunction barring Zaid from making or publishing any defamatory statements, and costs of the action.

In his defence, Zaid claimed he had not acted in bad faith, and reiterated that Ismail had held two briefings in relation to his ministry at the Umno division building early last year.

The settler also pleaded the defence of justification, as he claimed the projects were hidden from the knowledge of other contractors and only those who had links to the Umno division were given contracts.

He further claimed that the contracts were not awarded in a transparent and open manner, and pleaded fair comment and qualified privilege in his defence.

Zaid was represented by lawyer Shahid Adli Kamarudin. - Mkini