Pages

Friday, August 04, 2023

Court throws out ex-deputy minister Edmund Santhara’s defamation suit over NZ holiday during pandemic





Court throws out ex-deputy minister Edmund Santhara’s defamation suit over NZ holiday during pandemic




Datuk Seri Edmund Santhara Kumar faced defeat in his defamation case against Batu MP P. Prabakaran today. The suit was filed over Prabakaran’s remarks concerning the former deputy federal territories minister’s 55-day trip to New Zealand in March 2021, which took place amid travel restrictions imposed during the Covid-19 pandemic. — Picture by Shafwan Zaidon

Friday, 04 Aug 2023 6:23 PM MYT



KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 4 — Datuk Seri Edmund Santhara Kumar today lost his defamation lawsuit against Batu MP P. Prabakaran for commenting on the former deputy federal territories minister’s 55-day holiday to New Zealand in March 2021 amid travel restrictions during the Covid-19 pandemic.

When contacted, Prabakaran’s lawyer Dinesh Muthal confirmed that Sessions Court judge Zulqarnain Hassan decided this morning to dismiss Santhara’s lawsuit.

According to Dinesh, the judge found that Prabakaran’s remarks amounted to fair comment, which is a defence in defamation law.

Dinesh said the court’s findings were due to reasons such as Prabakaran being a people’s representative who is entrusted with speaking about public issues, which included whether there were travel restrictions at the time and if a deputy minister should be on holiday during a national crisis.

Dinesh said the court also noted that Prabakaran had questioned Santhara’s actions as a deputy minister at the time, and not in the latter’s capacity an ordinary citizen.

Dinesh said the Sessions Court also ordered Santhara to pay costs of RM18,000.

In a brief statement, Prabakaran said he was grateful the Sessions Court dismissed Santhara’s lawsuit, also thanking his lawyers and witnesses who had testified in this case including former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak and Dewan Negara lawmaker Isaiah Jacob.

Prabakaran described the court victory as a win for Malaysians.

MORE TO COME


No comments:

Post a Comment