MELAKA: Member of Parliament for Seputeh Teresa Kok has won her defamation suit against Umno Youth chief Datuk Dr Muhamad Akmal Saleh at the High Court here.
Justice Datuk Isa Aziz Ibrahim delivered the ruling on Monday (Oct 19), and ordered him to pay RM250,000 in damages and RM50,000 in costs over remarks concerning halal certification.
The court also ordered Dr Muhamad Akmal to remove the offending posts within seven days and barred him from repeating the defamatory statements, said Kok’s lawyer Datuk Sankara Nair.
Speaking to reporters outside the courtroom, Sankara said the court found Dr Muhamad Akmal liable after considering the evidence presented during the trial.
He described the judgment as fair and just, adding that the decision underscored the legal limits of political criticism.
“I hope those who previously had misconceptions about Teresa will recognise that the court has found the statements to be defamatory.
“There are limits to political criticism. When those limits are crossed, it can amount to defamation, and there are legal consequences,” he said.
Kok welcomed the ruling, saying it had cleared her name.
She hoped the decision would remind politicians of their responsibility to ensure their public statements were grounded in fact.
"I respect the judge’s reminder that politicians should make statements that are substantiated and meet certain standards because we play a role in shaping public opinion.
"I take that as good advice for myself and my fellow political leaders to be more careful about the statements we make,” she said.
Kok also thanked her legal team and the friends who attended court to support her.
Asked how she would use the damages, she said she generally channelled money received from defamation suits towards charitable causes, after taking into account her legal fees.
Kok brought the suit in Oct 2024 over statements made by Dr Muhamad Akmal in a TikTok video posted on Sept 7 of the same year.
In her statement of claim, she alleged that the remarks insulted and belittled her, portraying her as lacking knowledge of halal certification and opposing government policies on Islamic practices.
She named Dr Muhamad Akmal, the incumbent Merlimau assemblyman, as the sole defendant and sought damages and an injunction to prevent him from repeating the statements.
Three witnesses testified during the proceedings.
Dr Muhamad Akmal was represented by counsel Syahrul Syazwan Salehin.
