KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 9 — Seputeh MP Teresa Kok has filed a RM30 million defamation suit against Utusan Melayu and its columnist Mohd Zaini Hassan.
She is seeking RM30 million in damages over an article titled "Azan, Jawi, Jais, UiTM dan ba-alif-ba-ya" published in the Malay-language newspaper on Sept 10 which she alleges was maliciously intended to defame her.
The article had accused her of leading a petition to stop the use of loudspeakers at a mosque when performing azan prayers. Kok has denied these claims.
Calling it "highly defamatory", the Selangor exco member told The Malaysian Insider that the article had resulted in her week-long detention last month under the Internal Security Act.
"I think I have a strong case. When I was under detention the three questions they asked were all in connection to that article.
"After I was released, you can see how they attacked me. Just because I wanted to sue them, they tried to make me look bad in the media."
Her statement of claim was filed at 8.42am at the High Court here by her legal representatives S.N. Nair & Partners.
It alleges that "the defendants published the said article with the intention calculated to disparage the plaintiff in both her private and official capacities, including her capacity as a Member of Parliament Malaysia, Ahli Dewan Undangan Negeri Selangor and Senior State Executive Council Member of the State of Selangor."
Kok added that when she checked with the police two days ago, the report her legal counsel had lodged against the paper and Zaini while she was under detention was "still under investigation."
According to the DAP national organising secretary, the police told her that an investigating file had been opened under the Printing Presses and Publications Act, Section 8A for false news but "no action has been taken" against the paper or Zaini, who is also an editor at the publication.
She also said that a demand through her solicitor on Sept 15 for a retraction, an apology and damages had been ignored by the defendants.
Show/Hide comments
Show/Hide comment form
