RAC sues Chegubard for defamation, secures interim injunction

RAC sues Chegubard for defamation, secures interim injunction

4 hours ago

V Anbalagan

Seremban High Court grants Perbadanan Aset Keretapi a restraining order until the Jan 20 hearing after activist requests time to file affidavit in reply.

Perbadanan Aset Keretapi is suing Badrul Hisham Shaharin, also known as Chegubard, over a speech he delivered at a PAS event in Kemaman, Terengganu, on Sept 25.

PETALING JAYA:

Perbadanan Aset Keretapi (RAC) is suing political activist Badrul Hisham Shaharin, also known as Chegubard, over allegations that it sold railway assets as scrap metal before leasing them back at a cost of billions of ringgit.

The statutory body also obtained an interim injunction from the High Court in Seremban to restrain Badrul from repeating the allegedly defamatory statements and to remove videos containing them from social media.

David Mathew and Chong Jen Hui from the legal firm Messrs Steven Thiru appeared for RAC at yesterday’s proceedings, which were scheduled for an inter partes hearing of the injunction application.

Amirul Ar Rashid Azman, appearing for Badrul, sought more time to file his affidavit in reply.

The court then fixed Jan 20, 2027 for the inter partes hearing and granted an ad interim injunction on the same terms as the earlier ex-parte order, pending disposal of the application.

The injunction restrains Badrul from publishing or disseminating statements identified in the order, including allegations that railway assets were sold as scrap and that its rolling stock strategy (RSS) project was awarded without proper procurement procedures.

RAC’s statement of claim, sighted by FMT, said the allegations arose from a speech Badrul delivered at a PAS event in Kemaman, Terengganu, on Sept 25.

The corporation maintains that the claims are false and do not reflect the actual scope or implementation of the RSS project.

The project involves 44 locomotives and 246 freight wagons, under a 25-year leasing arrangement with a total commitment by Keretapi Tanah Melayu Bhd estimated at RM4.4 billion.

RAC says the assets were sold for refurbishment and continued railway use, not as scrap metal.

It is seeking a declaration that the statements were defamatory, an apology, damages and a permanent injunction against their repetition.