Ramasamy pays RM1.52mil damages to Zakir Naik for defamation

KUALA LUMPUR: Former Penang deputy chief minister II P. Ramasamy has paid a total of RM1.52mil to independent preacher Zakir Naik for defaming him.

Speaking to reporters on Friday (Dec 1), lawyer Datuk Akberdin Abdul Kader confirmed the matter and said the amount was transferred into the solicitor's account on Nov 17 following the High Court's Nov 2 decision.

On that day, High Court judge Hayatul Akmal Abdul Aziz ordered Ramasamy to pay more than RM1mil in damages for defaming Zakir, and also to publicly apologise to him, after allowing two suits brought by the latter.

ALSO READ: Ramasamy ordered to pay over RM1mil for defaming Zakir

Meanwhile, at Friday's proceedings before the same judge, Ramasamy’s counsel Razlan Hadri Zulkifli informed the court that his client is withdrawing an application to stay the ruling for the apology, pending disposal of the appeal.

"My Lady, (the) parties have come to some sort of compromise and we would like to withdraw both enclosures (stay on apology) with no order as to costs,” Razlan Hadri said.

The matter was also confirmed by Akberdin. However, Akberdin told the press that the terms for the withdrawal remained confidential.

ALSO READ: Zakir Naik vs Ramasamy: Court allows bid to amend defence statements

Zakir filed the first suit against Ramasamy over the politician’s four allegedly defamatory statements in 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019 among others through the article "Is Malaysia harbouring alleged fugitive Zakir Naik?”, published by an online news portal.

He also filed a second suit over the article titled "DAP leader accuses Zakir camp of ‘faking’ Tamil Tigers revival” where the plaintiff claimed that Ramasamy had defamed him through his comments, also published by online news portals in 2019. – Bernama