PUTRAJAYA: Former Pandan member of Parliament Mohd Rafizi Ramli is not liable for defaming National Feedlot Corporation Sdn Bhd ( NFCorp) executive chairman Datuk Seri Dr Mohamad Salleh Ismail and his company over his statements relating to alleged misuse of government funds, the Federal Court ruled today.
Following which, a three-man panel led by Chief Judge of Malaya Tan Sri Azahar Mohamed dismissed the appeals brought by Mohamad Salleh and his company and ordered him to pay cost of RM70,000 to Mohd Rafizi.
In the court's decision, Justice Azahar, said the statement made by Mohd Rafizi was without malice and that Mohd Rafizi could resort to defence of fair comment to defeat the defamation suit filed against him.
Justice Azahar said the High Court had made a finding that Mohd Rafizi was not motivated by malice when making the alleged defamatory statements.
Justice Azahar also said that there was sufficient substratum of facts to warrant Mohd Rafizi to make the statements.
He said it was also the finding of the High Court that Mohd Rafizi had an honest belief that his allegations were true and that he was performing a public duty in agitating for greater accountability for public funds.
"In my view, the respondent's (Mohd Rafizi) conclusion that public fund had been misused as a leverage for the Public Bank's loan was an opinion and inferences that a fair-minded person would have honestly made.
"Therefore, Mohd Rafizi could not be liable for damages for defamation," said Justice Azahar.
Federal Court judges Puan Sri Zaleha Yusof and Datuk Zabariah Mohd Yusof concurred with Justice Azahar's decision.
Mohamad Salleh and NFCorp filed a lawsuit against Mohd Rafizi in 2013 over his (Mohd Rafizi) statements made on March 7, 2012 at a media conference at the PKR office, alleging that Mohamad Salleh and his company had used a RM71 million government loan as collateral to purchase eight office units in Kl Eco City.
Mohamad Salleh and NFCorp initially won the suit in the High Court in 2016 where the court ordered Mohd Rafizi to pay RM150,000 in damages to Mohamad Salleh and RM50,000 to the company for defamation.
However, in 2019, the Court of Appeal ruled in favour of Mohd Rafizi after setting aside the High Court's order that he pay RM200,000 in damages to Mohamad Salleh and his company.
In 2020, the Federal Court granted leave to Mohamad Salleh and NFCorp to pursue their appeal in the Federal Court after Mohd Rafizi's lawyers did not object to the leave application as several grounds of the appellate court's decision relied on issues that were not raised in their case.
Lawyer Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah represented Mohamad Salleh and NFCorp, while Mohd Rafizi was represented by lawyers Razlan Hadri Zulkifli and Ranjit Singh.
-- BERNAMA
Bernama
Thu Apr 21 2022
Former Pandan MP Mohd Rafizi Ramli is not liable for defaming NFCorp executive chairman Datuk Seri Dr Mohamad Salleh Ismail and his company over his statements relating to alleged misuse of government funds, the Federal Court ruled today. - AWANI
Penyakit berkaitan haba dikhuatiri meningkat di Gaza
Penularan penyakit berkaitan haba panas menjadi kebimbangan terbaharu di Gaza selepas suhu luar jangka melampau melanda wilayah itu setiap hari. Ia sudah semestinya diburukkan lagi dengan kekurangan air bersih dan ketiadaan sistem pembuangan sisa pepejal yang sepatutnya wujud di sesebuah kawasan didiami manusia.
Ilhan Omar melawat peserta tunjuk perasaan
Wakil Dewan Perwakilan Amerika Syarikat (AS) Ilhan Omar mengadakan lawatan di kampus penyokong Pro Palestin di Universiti Columbia New York pada Khamis.
Dua lelaki didakwa jadi 'tali barut' kepada China
Dua lelaki yang mana salah seorangnya pernah bertugas di Parlimen United Kingdom (UK) enjalani proses perbicaraan di mahkamah London pada Jumaat selepas didakwa menjadi tali barut menyalurkan maklumat sulit kerajaan kepada negara tembok besar itu.
Polis serbu pejabat 'Save the Children' di Guatemala
Polis Guatemala melakukan serbuan mengejut ke atas pejabat-pejabat Pertubuhan Save the Children di pelbagai lokasi di negara itu. Ia bagi mencari bukti dakwaan pertubuhan yang memperjuangkan kebajikan kanak-kanak itu, terlibat dalam jenayah penderaan terhadap golongan itu.
LIMA '25 dianjurkan pada 20-24 Mei tahun depan
Pameran Maritim dan Aeroangkasa Antarabangsa Langkawi 2025 (LlMA ‘25) akan dianjurkan pada 20 hingga 24 Mei tahun depan bertemakan Innovate Today, Thrive Tomorrow.
Malaysia komited tingkat hubungan dua hala bersama Libya
Malaysia terus komited mempertingkatkan hubungan dua hala yang berterusan bersama Libya demi manfaat bersama dalam pelbagai sektor.
Demi rakyat, Zahid-Muhyiddin henti saman fitnah
Presiden Umno, Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi dan Presiden Bersatu, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin bersepakat untuk menamatkan pertikaian peribadi antara mereka.
Sultan Selangor berangkat ke Majlis Bacaan Yassin di Pangkalan TLDM
Sultan Selangor Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah yang juga Kepten Yang Dipertua Tentera Laut Diraja Malaysia (TLDM) berkenan berangkat ke Pangkalan TLDM Lumut di Perak bagi menghadiri Majlis Bacaan Yasin, Tahlil dan Khutbah Khas sempena Sambutan Hari TLDM ke-90.
PM Anwar pulangkan elaun Pengerusi Khazanah
Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim memaklumkan beliau memulangkan elaun sebagai pengerusi Khazanah Nasional Berhad yang diterimanya dan sekali lagi menegaskan tidak menerima gaji bagi jawatan Perdana Menteri yang disandangnya sejak November 2022.
10 Berita Pilihan - (26 April 2024)
Antara pelbagai berita dalam dan luar negara yang disiarkan di Astro AWANI, berikut adalah yang paling menjadi tumpuan sepanjang hari ini.
Federal court fixed Dec 8 to hear Najib's application to intervene in Azilah's review
Deputy public prosecutor Muhammad Azmi Mashud appeared for the prosecution while lawyer J. Kuldeep Kumar appeared for Azilah.
[EKSKLUSIF] Apandi Ali umum letak jawatan, tak rela jadi 'kuda tunggangan' dalam UMNO
Mohamed Apandi letak jawatan sebagai Pengerusi Lembaga Displin kerana kecewa prosiding dengan Hishammuddin Hussein dibatalkan pucuk pimpinan.