Najib sues Dr Ling for defamation

KUALA LUMPUR: Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak is suing former Cabinet minister Tun Dr Ling Liong Sik for allegedly implying that he had misused public fund for his personal interests.

Najib said that an online news portal had on Oct 3 published an article saying Dr Ling had made slanderous statements against him while attending a ceremony at Tunku Abdul Rahman University College.

He said Dr Ling, former Transport Minister, had uttered defamatory words in his speech with malicious intention to put him in the position of public scandal, contempt and odium.

 He said the words had implied that he had misappropriated government funds belonging to government investment fund, 1MDB, into his personal.account.

He said the words also meant that he had betrayed the trust given by the people by corruptly misusing his position and capacity as the chairman of Advisory Board of a government investment company for his personal interests.

 He said the words had implied that he had abused his power as the leader of a political party and leader of the people, he is not a competent to be leader of the Government or the Prime Minister and involved in a scandalaous or financial conspiracy to defraud the people of Malaysia.

He said the words implied that he is not fit to be chairman of Barisan Nasional, which is constituted by the amalgamation of 13 registered political parties.

Najib said his reputation has been gravely injured following the publication of the defamatory words which was shared by the social media and mass media users.

He said that the allegations are very serious and that it has caused contempt to him in the social and mass media.

He said the defamatory words also an attack to his moral and character that he is now being labelled as a dishonest, untrustworthy and irresponsible person.

 He said the defamatory words are baseless allegations and without any basis.

 Najib said that his solicitor had sent a letter of demand dated Oct 5 to Dr Ling to cease from making any further defamatory statements of him, an apology, an retraction and to provide a written undertaking that he shall refrain from publishing such defamatory statement and to compensate him for severe damage to reputation.

 He said Dr Ling, through his solicitor had replied in a letter dated Oct 8 stating that he did not admit to any of the statements and reserved his right to take or receive further legal action.

 The premier is seeking for general, special, aggravated and exemplary damages to be assessed by the court.

 Among others, Najib is applying for an injunction to restrain Dr Ling from further speaking or publishing or causing to be published any similiar defamatory words against him, whether orally or in the printed media or on the Internet.

  He is asking for an order that Dr Ling publish a written apology in newspaper or magazines to be identified by him.

  He had on Oct 27 filed the suit at the High Court civil registry through Messrs Hafarizam Wan & Aisha Mubarak.