ALOR SETAR: The High Court here has ruled that Kedah Pakatan Harapan chairman Datuk Mahfuz Omar must pay RM250,000 to Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor in damages in a defamation suit.
Judge Dr Arik Sanusi Yeop Johari also ordered Mahfuz to pay RM30,000 in costs.
Arik Sanusi allowed the claim made by Sanusi, who is also Jeneri assemblyman, against Mahfuz over his statement on the purchase of a multipurpose vehicle (MPV) by Syarikat Air Darul Aman (Sada) in October 2020.
He also ordered Mahfuz, who is Amanah vice-president, to make a public apology in a Malay language and English language daily within 14 days of the decision, as well as on his Facebook account, in terms that are approved by Muhammad Sanusi.
The court also allowed Sanusi’s application for a permanent injunction against Mahfuz, his agents and supporters from repeating the defamatory remarks, Astro Awani reported.
In his grounds of judgement, Arik Sanusi described Mahfuz’s allegations against the state Perikatan Nasional chairman involving the purchase of the vehicle as defamation with malicious intent.
He said the plaintiff was successful in proving to the court that Sada had issued a statement on the matter before Mahfuz made the remarks against Muhammad Sanusi.
Sanusi was represented by Yusfarizal Yussoff, Wan Rohimi Wan Daud, Mohd Faizi Che Abu and Adam Luqman Hamdan while Mahfuz, who is the former Pokok Sena MP, was represented by Muhammad Faiz Fadzil and Faizal Abdullah.
In mitigation, Muhammad Faiz applied for a stay of execution pending an appeal to the Court of Appeal.
Subsequently, the court ordered the defendant to submit a written application on the stay of application pending the appeal process.
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