Tycoon Vincent Tan has obtained a temporary restraining order against Kedah Menteri Besar Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor in a defamation suit.
The businessperson's counsel Chuar Kia Lin confirmed with Malaysiakini that the Shah Alam High Court allowed the ex-parte injunction application earlier today.
He said a copy of the order has been served on Sanusi's legal team.
The lawyer said the order would be in effect until Friday next week. Sanusi's legal team would be allowed to counter-submit against the tycoon's application for a continued restraining order, pending disposal of the main defamation suit.
Malaysiakini has reached out to Sanusi's legal team for a response over the matter.
Previously, Tan’s lawyers issued a demand letter seeking the Perikatan Nasional leader’s apology and RM200 million compensation.
This concerns Sanusi’s claim of impropriety between the tycoon and caretaker Selangor menteri besar Amirudin Shari over the Klang River cleaning project.
After the Kedah menteri besar allegedly declined to abide by Tan's legal letter, the Berjaya Group founder filed the defamation suit on Aug 8.
The writ of summons was over Sanusi’s speech during the Kedah state election campaign at Dataran Darulaman, Jitra, on Aug 2, which saw the attendance of hundreds of people.
According to the statement of claim, Tan and Berjaya Land Berhad - the first and second plaintiffs respectively - rubbished the allegations, contending that Sanusi refused to abide by their legal letter through his lawyers’ letter in response, dated Aug 8.
The plaintiffs claimed that not only were the allegations baseless and untrue but were also uttered and disseminated in bad faith and for “pure and pedantic political expediency and inflammatory rhetoric of the defendant”.
Cheap publicity
Tan and the company claimed Sanusi did not take reasonable steps to verify the truthfulness of the claims before uttering them during the speech, claiming the defendant wanted to gain cheap publicity and sensation for personal or electoral gains.
The plaintiffs claimed that Sanusi’s statement painted them as corrupt and cronies of Amirudin, had caused the Selangor state government to incur a loss of RM180 million from purported land given for “free”, and defrauded Selangor citizens, among others.
“The severity of the defamation and the debilitating impact against the plaintiffs have been unprecedented and remarkably intense.
“Especially in the very last hour of the political campaigning with the public’s attention, and continues to impact the plaintiffs in all manners to date.
“The plaintiffs have an unblemished reputation as businessperson and company and hold highly respectable positions in society both locally and internationally,” Tan and Berjaya Land said.
The plaintiffs pointed out that Tan has a large extended family and that Sanusi’s claims have pervaded and permeated his family circle, further aggravating his and his family’s mental trauma.
The duo claimed the allegations have spread to the world stage, whereby international business organisations or corporations may harbour adverse impressions against them.
Besides the various damages, Tan and Berjaya Land seek an injunction to restrain Sanusi from further repeating the alleged defamatory statement.
The plaintiffs also seek 5 percent interest on any judgment sum awarded, costs, and any other relief deemed fit by the court. - Mkini
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