PKR told to pay Felda, FGV RM70,000 in damages over defamation

PUTRAJAYA: PKR, the publisher of Suara Keadilan, was told to pay RM70,000 in damages for defamation instead of RM2 million to Felda and Felda Global Ventures Holdings Sdn Bhd (FGV) following a consent order before the Court of Appeal today.

Lawyer Francis Pereira, who appeared for PKR, said the parties had prepared a draft order to settle on the quantum of damages, which was approved by the bench.

The judges who approved the order were Vernon Ong Lam Kiat, Zabariah Mohd Yusof and Suraya Othman.

Lawyer Nor Emelia Mohd Iszeham appeared for Felda and FGV.

Pereira said by implication, the RM2 million in damages ordered by High Court judge Su Geok Yiam a year ago had been set aside and the decision of the deputy registrar affirmed.

Both Felda and FGV had told the Court of Appeal registrar during case management that they would not contest an appeal by the publisher.

Former PKR president Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, her ex-deputy Syed Husin Ali, and the writer of the two articles in question, Rusnizam Mahat, had filed an appeal against the damages which they said were excessive.

Syed Husin was present in court today.

On Dec 5 last year, Su allowed the appeal by Felda and FGV and awarded them RM2 million in damages, the highest amount awarded to an aggrieved party in recent years.

Deputy registrar Norfauzani Mohd Nordin had initially ordered the trio to pay RM70,000 in damages.

However, Su said the amount was “extraordinarily low” and should be increased.

On Aug 16, 2010, Felda and FGV filed a RM200 million defamation suit over news reports published by Suara Keadilan on June 22 and 29 that year.

The plaintiffs alleged that an article with the heading “Felda bankrap” (Felda bankrupt) and “Bina Bangunan RM662 juta hanya libatkan tiga individu” (Construction of RM662 million building involved only three individuals), accompanied by a photograph captioned “Kontroversi”, had tarnished their image.

On Sept 30, 2014, former Suara Keadilan editor Dzulkarnain Taib, who was initially named as one of the defendants, apologised to the plaintiffs.

On Oct 17, 2014, the High Court ruled in favour of Felda and FGV. - FMT