A day after Senator Raja Kamarul Bahrin Shah Raja Ahmad gave his testimony, the director of MyNewsNet Sdn Bhd today apologised to the former Kuala Terengganu MP for a defamatory posting that was published by the portal MyNewsHub last year.
In an open court before Kuala Lumpur High Court judicial commissioner Darryl Goon, Mohd Arshad Khan read the apology and retraction of the article and disassociated itself from the website.
"The defendant takes the opportunity to unconditionally retract the words and allegations in the article published on www.mynewshub.cc entitled 'Wakil rakyat PAN cuti mewah di UK abai mangsa bah' (Amanah representative goes on luxury UK vacation, neglects flood victims) dated Jan 7, 2017, and unreservedly apologise to Raja Bahrin for the distress and embarrassment caused to him by the publication of the words and allegations which are totally untrue and have no basis.
"The defendant did not intend to offend Raja Bahrin in the article and apologised to him if it had hurt his feelings, dignity and reputation. We are remorseful and we have never intended to tarnish his image in the eyes of the public," Arshad said.
Following this, Justice Goon recorded the consent judgment.
Raja Bahrin was represented by Nadzratun Naim Hammad Azizi and Nurilya Ellyna Nor Azman while Ahmad Hazrin Abdul Rahman acted for the defendant.
Nadzratun said: "It (defendant) also agreed to pay an undisclosed amount of damages and costs as part of the consent judgment."
As part of the settlement, the apology is to be published in Malay daily Berita Harian, Utusan Malaysia and the portal.
Yesterday, Raja Kamarul testified that the portal had falsely reported and defamed him in claiming that he was in the United Kingdom enjoying a holiday with his family between Dec 27, 2016 and Jan 7, 2017, when in fact he was in his constituency helping flood victims.
Using his wife's Instagram account as evidence, he had said the pictures that appeared in MyNewsHub were actually from October 2016, when he was on a working trip with other Amanah leaders to the UK.
"The pictures as depicted by the portal were from my wife's Instagram, and they have a date on it, sometime in October 2016, when I travelled with other Amanah leaders to the UK to form the Amanah UK Supporters club.
"I brought my children around as I could hardly spend time with them on our busy schedule. I came back in mid-October for the Parliament session.
"I make it a point to be in Terengganu in December and January as it is the monsoon season," he said.
He added that to make matters worse the portal did not verify with him.
Raja Kamarul, who is also the deputy housing and local government minister, filed his suit last year. -Mkini
Yes sue till their pants down.
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