KUALA LUMPUR: The lawsuit filed by Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi against news portal Malaysiakini was amicably resolved in the High Court here on Thursday (July 18).
Ahmad Zahid’s lawyer Mohamed Shahrul Fazli Kamarulzaman, stated that the parties had mutually agreed to settle the lawsuit.
"Therefore, the plaintiff (Ahmad Zahid) will not proceed with the lawsuit against the defendant (Malaysiakini), and the court has dismissed the case without costs.
"The court has also vacated the trial, which was previously scheduled for Aug 19 to 22," the lawyer told Bernama after the case management before Judicial Commissioner Arziah Mohamed Apandi today.
The proceedings were also attended by lawyer Mohd Shahril Madisa, representing Ahmad Zahid, while Kee Hui Yee represented Mkini Dotcom Sdn Bhd, former Malaysiakini editor-in-chief Steven Gan, and a former journalist from the portal as defendants.
In a Facebook post, Ahmad Zahid stated that he filed a defamation lawsuit against Malaysiakini on March 24, 2021, regarding the publication of 22 defamatory and selective reports related to criminal proceedings against him at the Kuala Lumpur High Court.
Ahmad Zahid said that as the criminal proceedings were dismissed by the High Court on Sept 4, 2023, his lawyers advised him to cease the suit against Malaysiakini to respect the court's decision and avoid prejudicing the parties.
"Although the defendants' actions tarnished my reputation and created negative sentiments towards me, after considering my lawyers' advice and current developments, I decided not to prolong this issue. I hope the defendants will be more responsible and transparent in their future reports about me.
"I also hope that such defamatory and selective reports will not recur. I urge media practitioners and all stakeholders to uphold high principles and ethics in journalism," he added in the post.
On Sept 4, 2023, the High Court granted Ahmad Zahid a discharge not amounting to an acquittal for 47 charges of criminal breach of trust, corruption, and money laundering involving Yayasan Akalbudi funds, after the prosecution informed the Attorney General's Chambers' decision to halt the proceedings. - Bernama
