Court suggests suit by Naz Empire against Awal be settled via mediation process

KUALA LUMPUR: The High Court here today suggested that a suit filed by a company against television personality Awal Ashaari in connection with renovation work on the celebrity's new residence be settled through the mediation process.

This was informed by lawyer Nurshafiqa Balqish Jaffri, representing Naz Empire Sdn Bhd, when contacted after the case management, conducted online before Judge Datuk Ahmad Bache, today, in a proceeding which was also attended by the celebrity's lawyer, Muna Farhana Zainuddin.

She said Judge Ahmad suggested that the suit be referred to the High Court Mediation Centre here, and if both parties failed to reach a settlement, the case would proceed with trial.

"The court also struck out the names of two other defendants in the suit, Nawal Yasmin Mat Noh and Muhammad Hilmi Zulkifli, after the plaintiff (Naz Empire) filed a notice not to proceed with the suit against them as the settlement had been out of court," she said.

She said the court also set Sept 3 for further case management.

Naz Empire filed the suit against Awal, whose real name is Ahmad Awaluddin Ashaari, as well as Nawal Yasmin and Muhammad Hilmi, who were named the second and third defendant, respectively, for allegedly defaming the company over renovations at the celebrity's residence. on Nov 13 last year

The company, in its statement of claim, stated that Nawal Yasmin and Muhammad Hilmi ran a joint business under the name SomethingBorrowed By Nawal Enterprise and frequently shared photos or videos related to home renovations or decorations on their Instagram, @ houseofsix.my.

It claimed that on May 3, 2019, Awal Ashaari using his Instagram account @awalashaari sent a short message via Direct Message (DM) to the company's Instagram account, @nazcarpentry, expressing his intention to appoint the company to do carpentry work for his residence in Sunway Damansara, Petaling Jaya.

The company claimed that the renovation work started after Awal paid a deposit of RM100,000 through two transactions in August and Sept, 2019,

When Awal wanted a 'sky roof' and additional windows in his new kitchen, the company allegedly gave a new quotation for another RM7,500.

It claimed that Awal suddenly raised various issues and expressed dissatisfaction with the plaintiff's work quality, which was never been disputed before, and on Nov 22, 2019, Awal told the company to make a choice whether to complete all work as listed in the quotation, but he will not pay for the 'wet works' and for the company to return part of the deposit after taking 20 percent as loss incurred between them.

Naz Empire claimed that on March 16, 2020, it was informed by Awal that its services were no longer needed and on June 1, 2020, the artiste demanded the company to return the RM100,000 deposit and that he would take legal action and claim damages if it failed to do so.

Following that, Awal was alleged to start defaming the country on his Instagram and Facebook social sites and had uploaded a defamation post via YouTube on a link with the stage name 'SchaAwal' for the same purpose, and the second and third defendants had republished one of the first defendant's defamatory statements via the Instagram application @ houseofsix.my.

-- BERNAMA