Zuraida: I didn't defame Jamal, everything I said was true

PKR's Ampang MP Zuraida Kamaruddin said she did not make any defamatory statements about Sungai Besar Umno chief Jamal Yunos, as everything she said about him is true.

“As far as I am concerned, I have not made any defamatory allegations against Jamal.

“A defamatory allegation is a false allegation. I do not know what specific allegation he wants to sue me on, but whatever I have said is the truth,” Zuraida said in a text message to Malaysiakini today.

She was responding to Jamal, who had earlier today said he intends to file a defamatory suit against her for remarks she uttered after their settlement in a separate case.

Describing his behaviour as “a matter of national mockery”, she said he is welcome to sue her.

“So, I say to Jamal, he is most welcome to sue, as it is his behaviour that is going to be exposed in court,” she said.

Zuraida and Jamal (photo) had just settled a defamation suit brought by Zuraida against the red shirts leader for his allegations that her agents had assaulted him on Nov 13 last year.

After mediation on Tuesday, Jamal read out a retraction of that remark at the Kuala Lumpur High Court before Justice S Nantha Balan.

However, he claimed that Zuraida had lied in her press conference after that, when she said he had apologised for his remarks.

His lawyer stressed that they had made it very clear during the mediation that Jamal will not apologise.

Zuraida also said in her press conference that she had successfully “tamed” him and advised him not to continue doing “crazy” things.

Jamal said he found these remarks very insulting and as such, had instructed his lawyers to file a fresh defamatory suit against the PKR Wanita chief.

On Nov 13, Jamal and his supporters got involved in a scuffle when police tried to stop them from pursuing Zuraida and PKR members who were promoting the Bersih 5 rally at the Ampang Point shopping mall.

Jamal received a bloody nose as a result of the scuffle, and could be heard immediately after shouting “polis tumbuk saya” ("the police punched me").

However, he later told reporters that “budak Zuraida pukul saya” ("Zuraida’s boys hit me").-Mkini