Dzulkefly's RM5m defamation suit against Najib resolved

 

A defamation suit filed by Health Minister Dzulkefly Ahmad against former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak was resolved in the Kuala Lumpur High Court today.

The 2022 suit was over a Facebook post alleging nepotism involving the appointment of Dzulkefly’s daughter to a government-linked body.

Najib’s lawyer, Shafee Abdullah, informed judge Mahazan Mat Taib that the matter had been resolved, with his client having prepared a statement following discussions with Dzulkefly.

Najib then began reading his statement.

“I note that his (Dzulkefly) complaint in court is that my posting was apparently perceived to imply he was practising nepotism regarding the appointment of his daughter, Nurul Iman, to the board of directors of AIM Solutions Group Bhd on April 30, 2018, and to the Board of Trustees of Amanah Ikhtiar Malaysia (AIM) on Oct 1, 2018.

“I accept that he had no involvement in her appointments and that there was no nepotism on his part.

“I wish to clarify that the said post was not intended to be defamatory, nor was it intended to impute that the plaintiff was corrupt or involved in nepotism and cronyism. Rather, it was meant to highlight the perceived double standards among political parties.

“The post was published at the material time strictly in my capacity and duty as a member of Parliament.

“Its true meaning and intention were to serve as a general political commentary on the broader issues of governance, administration, and appointments to government-linked entities, which were matters of active public discourse and political debate.

“While my post was a matter of political commentary, I acknowledge the distress that it has caused him and his family, which was never my intention.

“In the spirit of moving forward constructively, I wish Dzulkefly the very best in his continued service to the people and the nation, and I extend my sincere well wishes to him and his family,” said the 72-year-old defendant.

Reaching a settlement

Right after Najib read his statement, Dzulkefly’s lawyer Stanley Sebastian Sinnappen informed the court that the case would not proceed.

At the end of the proceedings, Mahazan thanked the parties as they managed to reach a settlement.

“Court time is a valuable public resource, and parties are encouraged to give serious consideration to resolutions whenever possible,” said the judge.

The trial, which began on Tuesday, saw Dzulkefly complete his testimony yesterday. Today marked the third day of proceedings, during which Najib’s lawyer was scheduled to cross-examine Nurul Iman.

Dzulkefly filed the suit in January 2022, claiming that Najib published a defamatory Facebook post about him on Aug 24, 2020, which implied that he had practised nepotism to ensure his daughter’s appointment as a board member of AIM.

He further alleged that the statement was published with the intent to humiliate him and was politically motivated to tarnish his reputation, while Najib, in his statement of defence filed in March 2022, contended that the post was not directed at Dzulkefly but at the Pakatan Harapan coalition.

- Bernama