Guan Eng wins defamation suit, gets RM550,000 in damages

Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng today won in a defamation suit against Perkasa Information chief Ruslan Kassim and six others over a statement on Perkasa's website on Oct 1, 2011.

High Court judge Datuk Nor Bee Ariffin, when handing down the decision ordered the defendants to pay damages, totaling RM550,000, to the Bagan Member of Parliament.

Nor Bee ordered Ruslan, Perkasa president Datuk Ibrahim Ali and Perkasa to pay RM150,000 in general and aggravated damages to Lim , while the New Straits Times former group editor Datuk Syed Nazri Syed Harun and The New Straits Times Press (M) Sdn Bhd to pay RM200,000.

Two other defendants and Utusan Melayu (M) Berhad group editor-in-chief Datuk Abdul Aziz Ishak and Utusan Melayu (M) Berhad were ordered to also pay RM200,000 in general and aggravated damages.

The defendants were also ordered to pay costs of RM60,000.

In the judgment, Nor Bee said the court found the words used by the defendants were defamatory of Lim and there was no justification or fair comment and qualified privilege in the defendants' defence.

“In this case, I also find Utusan and NSTP had failed to display responsible journalism," she added.

On May 11, 2012, Lim filed the defamatory suit against Ruslan, Ibrahim, Perkasa, Syed Nazri, The New Straits Times Press (M) Berhad, Abdul Aziz and Utusan Melayu (M) Berhad on an article published by Perkasa website.

In his statement of claim, Lim claimed that Ruslan had published a statement on Perkasa's website on Oct 1, 2011 asking businessman Datuk Mohamad Azman Yahya to explain his meeting with Datuk Seri Kalimullah Hassan and a PAP senior leader in Singapore on Aug 12, 2011.

The DAP secretary-general claimed that the statement implied that he was endangering national security by exposing the country's secrets to Singapore.

Lim had sought for general, exemplary and special damages of RM15 million, as well as interest, costs and other relief deemed fit by the court.

Meanwhile, Ruslan, when met by reporters, said he might appeal against the decision.

Lim, represented by lawyer Americk Sindhu, was not at the court.

Lawyer Lim Qi Si represented the defendants from Utusan and NSTP, while Perkasa, Ibrahim and Ruslam were represented by lawyer Saleh Ahmad.