Tajudddin’s lawsuit against Khalid, NSTP, KiniTV goes to trial

Former agriculture and agro-based industries deputy minister Tajuddin Abdul Rahman's defamation suit against Federal Territories Minister Khalid Samad, New Straits Times Press (M) Bhd and KiniTV will go on trial at the Kuala Lumpur High Court on Nov 1, 2, and Dec 3 and 6.

This follows since the parties involved have been unable to settle the case.

Judicial commissioner Aliza Sulaiman fixed the hearing dates following case management today.

Counsel K Shanmuga for KiniTV, a wholly owned subsidiary of Malaysiakini, informed reporters on this today.

Lawyer K Muralidharan, who is representing Khalid, said there was no proposal for settlement, although Aliza wants the parties to explore the possibility of settlement.

Tajuddin filed the suit on Feb 22 last year against Khalid (who is also Shah Alam MP), KiniTV and NSTP 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, 2016.

Tajuddin, who is also Pasir Salak MP, is suing Khalid (photo) for reiterating his "sial" statement and questioning Tajuddin's behaviour at a press conference he conducted outside the House shortly after the incident in Parliament.

The suit claims Khalid's statement is defamatory as it implied that Tajuddin was a person who, among other issues, is not a good Muslim, condemned to hell, morally decrepit and unfit to be an MP and deputy minister.

Tajuddin is suing NSTP for publishing Khalid's comments made at that press conference.

'Khalid, NSTP refused to apologise'

The suit said both Khalid and NSTP 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, 2016.

Khalid held the press conference after he was attacked on Parliament grounds by a group from Pasir Salak, 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, was guilty of a criminal offence of instigating an attack and was unfit to be an MP and deputy minister.

The suit claimed that KiniTV did not respond to a letter of demand.KiniTV, through its parent company Malaysia

kini, had responded to the letter of demand which was served on Murthi & Partners on Feb 21, 2017, 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 the 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 that would be awarded as damages, costs and other relief as deemed fit by the High Court. -Mkini