Parties in ex-minister Tajuddin's suit against Khalid Samad advised to settle case

KUALA LUMPUR: Parties in the suit filed by former Deputy Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Minister Datuk Seri Tajuddin Abdul Rahman against Shah Alam MP Khalid Samad and two others have been advised to go for a settlement.

Tajuddin filed the suit against Khalid, The New Straits Times Press (M) Bhd and KiniTv Sdn Bhd over a series of press conferences in 2016.

Khalid's lawyer K. Murali told reporters that High Court Judicial Commissioner Aliza Sulaiman has urged parties to try to settle the matter, adding that so far, no proposal from any parties yet.

"The court also fixed hearing from Nov 1 to 2, Dec 3 and 6," he said after parties met JC Aliza in chambers on Wednesday (Sept 12).

In the suit filed on April 26 last year, Tajuddin named Khalid, NSTP and KiniTV as the defendants.

He claimed that on Nov 21, 2016, Khalid held a press conference at the Parliament lobby and the statement was published as a YouTube video the same day.

The plaintiff said the statement was defamatory.

The Pasir Salak MP alleged that part of the statement was published by second defendant NSTP in the New Straits Times on Nov 22, 2016, as an article entitled "Fury over Deputy Minister's Remark".

Tajuddin, an Umno Supreme Council member, said the defamatory statement had damaged his reputation and standing and have brought him into public ridicule, odium and contempt.
He said he sent a notice of demand on Nov 23, 2016, seeking among others, the retraction of the defamatory statements in the newspaper and an apology for the said defamatory statements.

He claimed that Khalid, through his solicitors on Nov 28, refused to apologise and denied the statements were defamatory.

Khalid then held a second press conference on Nov 24, 2016, at the Parliament lobby and his second statement was published by KiniTV as a video the same day and still continues to be published at its KiniTV and Malaysia Kini's sites.

He said the words in the second defamatory statement in it's natural and ordinary meaning meant that he had resorted to sending his children, relatives and supporters to physically assault the defendant (Khalid) and was a violent person.

He is claiming general damages; aggravated and exemplary damages; cost; and any or other reliefs deemed fit by the court.