Deputy Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Minister Tajuddin Abdul Rahman has filed a defamation suit against Shah Alam MP Khalid Abdul Samad, video portal KiniTV and English daily New Straits Times.
This was over a series of press conferences that started when Tajuddin referred to Seputeh MP Teresa Kok in Parliament as the only woman with a "Kok" and Khalid responding by calling him "sial" (damned) on Nov 21 last year.
Tajuddin, who is also Pasir Salak MP, is suing Khalid over his press conference outside the House shortly after the incident where he reiterated his "sial" statement against Tajuddin and questioned his behaviour.
The suit, dated Feb 22, was filed through law firm Murthi & Partners at Kuala Lumpur High Court.
It claimed Khalid's statement was defamatory as it implied that Tajuddin was a person who, among others, not a good Muslim, condemned to hell, morally decrepit and unfit to be an MP and deputy minister.
Tajuddin is suing NST for publishing Khalid's comments made at that press conference.
The suit said both Khalid and NST had refused to apologise and claimed that the statements were not defamatory after letters of demand were sent to them.
Tajuddin is also suing KiniTV for publishing a recording of Khalid's subsequent press conference on Nov 24 last year.
Khalid held the press conference after he was attacked by a group from Pasir Salak on Parliament grounds, which included Tajuddin's son Faisal Tajuddin.
In that press conference, Khalid blamed Tajuddin for the attack.
The suit said the recording of Khalid's press conference published by KiniTV was defamatory as it implied that Tajuddin was a person who, among others, used physical violence against his political opponents, guilty of a criminal offence of instigating an attack and unfit to be an MP and deputy minister.
The suit claimed that KiniTV did not respond to a letter of demand.
KiniTV, through parent company Malaysiakini, had responded to the letter of demand which was served on Murthi & Partners on Feb 21 and acknowledged by the law firm's representative.
Malaysiakini's letter said the video was a news report on a matter of public interest as Tajuddin was engaged in an open debate with Khalid. It also offered Tajuddin a right of reply.
Tajuddin is seeking general damages, aggravated and/or exemplary damages, interest at a rate of five percent a year on the amount as would be awarded as damages, cost and other reliefs as deemed fit by the High Court.- Mkini
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