PETALING JAYA: Sultanah of Terengganu Sultanah Nur Zahirah has filed a lawsuit against investigative journalist Clare Rewcastle-Brown and two others for defaming her in a book on the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) issue.
The book is titled "The Sarawak Report: The Inside Story of the 1MDB Expose".
Sultanah Nur Zahirah filed the suit via the law firm of J. S. Pillay & Mohd Haaziq on Wednesday (Nov 21).
The Sultanah has named Sarawak Report founder Rewcastle-Brown, her book publisher Gerakbudaya Enterprise and printer Vinlin Press Sdn Bhd as the defendants.
Sultanah Nur Zahirah’s counsel Datuk Haaziq Pillay told a press conference that he received consent from the palace to go ahead with the lawsuit on Tuesday (Nov 20) night.
He said case management has been set for Dec 19.
On Sept 29, Sultanah Nur Zahirah, through her counsel, had given Rewcastle Brown eight days to issue a “full written, unequivocal public retraction” of a passage in her book about the 1MDB scandal or face a RM100mil defamation suit.
A letter of demand was served to three parties, including Rewcastle Brown to make a public retraction and apology in terms to be approved by her lawyers by Oct 5.
A day earlier, Sarawak Report had apologised if the book led to any misinterpretation on the Sultanah’s part that it suggested that she was conspiring with businessman Low Taek Jho, better known as Jho Low, or was involved in the government administration in the 1MDB scandal.
The news outlet also clarified that it did not suggest she was linked to the Terengganu Investment Authority (TIA) or the 1MDB board in any way.
Already a subscriber? Log in
Get 20% OFF The Star Digital Access
Cancel anytime. Ad-free. Unlimited access with perks.
