Activist loses defamation suit against ex-defence ministry official

 Sessions court finds that Shahrim Tamrin failed to prove the claims against the defendant.

The Ampang sessions court awarded RM8,000 in costs to the defendant.

PETALING JAYA:

 Road safety activist Shahrim Tamrin’s defamation suit against a former head of corporate communications at the defence ministry has been dismissed by the Ampang sessions court.

Judge Fadzlin Suraya Suah dismissed Shahrim’s suit and awarded RM8,000 in costs to the defendant, Razman Hakimi Abdullah.

Shahrim, a former board member of the Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research (Miros), has filed an appeal at the Shah Alam High Court, with case management set for April 6.

In her broad grounds of judgment, Fadzlin ruled Razman’s statement that Shahrim was a political appointee in Miros by the Pakatan Harapan government was fair comment.

“There is no evidence that the defendant made the social media posting (on March 10, 2020) with malicious intent,” she said.

The judge also said Shahrim failed to prove that a second posting by Razman on July 16, 2020 was in reference to him.

In the post, Razman had criticised the findings of a Miros study on the behaviours of p-hailing riders, blaming it on PH “lackeys” who were still in the institute even after the change in federal government.

Fadzlin ruled that a third posting in which Razman referred to Shahrim as the son of former Batu Berendam MP Tamrin Ghafar did not defame the activist.

She pointed out that the statement had been corrected by then Miros chairman Suret Singh hours after Razman uploaded the posting.

“The plaintiff also failed to prove reputational damage suffered from the posting. There is no evidence that the defendant’s post had caused the plaintiff to be exposed to hatred, humiliation, or ridicule.

“Based on these reasons and on the balance of probabilities, this court finds that the plaintiff has failed to prove the claims against the defendant,” she said.

Shahrim, who was a Miros board member from January 2019 to January 2022, was represented by Ong & Partners, while Tetuan Azman Joseph & Associates acted for Razman.

Shahrim will be represented by Saufi, Mimi & Co in his appeal. - FMT