KUALA LUMPUR: Businessman Datuk Seri Aliff Syukri Kamaruzaman was ordered by the High Court to pay RM250,000 in damages to former minister Tan Sri Abdul Kadir Sheikh Fadzir in a defamation lawsuit.
Justice Roslan Mat Nor made the order in relation to Abdul Kadir’s lawsuit against Aliff Syukri over a statement the businessman made in 2023.
The court also ordered Aliff Syukri to pay RM50,000 in costs to the former culture, arts and tourism minister.
In the decision, Justice Roslan noted that the plaintiff was a veteran politician who was once a Cabinet minister.
“The court is of the opinion that there are open legal channels for the defendant to make his debt claims against the plaintiff where the law will decide on such claims,” he said.
The judge also said that the defendant’s lack of intention to harm the plaintiff’s reputation could not be taken as the defence of justification.
The court also issued an injunction against Aliff Syukri, barring him from continuing or publishing defamatory statements against Abdul Kadir.
“The defendant, either through service of agents, is to erase the publication against the plaintiff from all social media accounts within seven days of the court order.
“The defendant is also to give a written pledge not to cause or publish any defamation against Abdul Kadir as the plaintiff,” Justice Roslan said yesterday.
Both Abdul Kadir and Aliff Syukri were absent from yesterday’s proceedings.
On Sept 6, 2023, Abdul Kadir filed a lawsuit against Aliff Syukri, claiming RM70mil in damages for libel and other damages deemed fit by the court.
In his claims, Abdul Kadir said Aliff Syukri, who has a large following on social media, made the statement on July 2, 2023, where the latter alluded that Abdul Kadir had owed him money in the millions.
