High Court orders Daljit Singh to pay the MRCB executive vice-chairman RM175,000, including costs, for defaming him, and to repay a RM100,000 loan.
Justice Roz Mawar Rozain ordered Daljit Singh to pay RM100,000 in damages after finding him liable for defamation and RM75,000 in costs.
She also issued an injunction on July 30, restraining Daljit from repeating the defamatory statements against Salim.
Salim sued Daljit in June 2023, claiming that he had uttered and published the defamatory words “Salim cheated me” to lawyer Selva Kumar Mookiah in Bahasa Melayu in 2021.
He said Daljit followed this up with a text message about Salim to Selva the following morning.
In April 2023, Daljit uttered and published another defamatory statement that was sent to the then managing editor of a news portal, Salim claimed.
Salim, who is chairman of the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission, said Daljit’s remarks implied that he was untrustworthy, a cheat, fraudster and liar, and that he had engaged in illegal and immoral activities.
He also said Daljit had injured his reputation and name.
In his counterclaim, which the Court of Appeal reinstated in 2024, Daljit alleged that the statements had been taken out of context.
Roz Mawar, however, dismissed the counterclaim, finding that the defences of justification and qualified privilege were not established.
In a separate suit also heard before Roz Mawar, Daljit, the People’s Progressive Party treasurer general, was ordered to repay an outstanding loan of RM100,000 to Salim.
Dhinesh Bhaskaran appeared on behalf of Salim, while Daljit was represented by Harjinder Singh. - FMT
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.