Yeo Bee Yin's defamation suit against Jamal most likely to be settled amicably

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 11 -- The defamation suit filed by Energy, Science, Technology, Environment and Climate Change and Minister Yeo Bee Yin against Sungai Besar UMNO division chief Datuk Seri Jamal Md Yunos in connection with the Yayasan Warisan Anak Selangor (Yawas) fund, most likely to be settled amicably.

Lawyer Mohammed Nasser Yusof, representing Jamal, told reporters that he would review the terms of the settlement offered by the plaintiff (Yeo) on Sept 3.

“If there is a solution we (the defendant) will submit notice to the court (for further action), otherwise, the trial will be heard on March 5 and 6 and April 20 and 21 next year,” he informed reporters after management on the case which was held in chambers before Judge Datuk Nik Hasmat Nik Mohamad today.

On June 14, 2017, Yeo, as the plaintiff, filed the lawsuit seeking for RM5 million in compensation from Jamal, as the defendant, for his defamatory statement over the alleged abused of Yawas fund.

In the statement of claim, Yeo, who is also Bakri MP, claimed that the defendant had issued a defamatory statement on March 21, last year, and the statement was published by several newspapers, news portals and on Jamal’s Facebook account.

Yeo claimed that Jamal’s statement, among others, gave the impression that she had abused public fund for personal use and painted her as an unethical and unreliable person.

Apart from RM5 million of general damages, Yeo was also seeking compensatory, aggravated and exemplary damages and an injunction to prevent Jamal from repeating his allegations.

Meanwhile, another High Court has set Oct 10 for the case management of another defamation suit involving Jamal, filed by Primary Industries Minister Teresa Kok, for allegedly defaming her in connection with Yawas fund.

The matter was disclosed to Mohammed Nasser to reporters after management on the case which was held in chambers before Judge Datuk Ahmad Bache today.

On April 6, 2017, Kok filed a suit against Jamal over allegations that Jamal had issued a defamatory statement against her in connection with the Yawas fund during a press conference on March 8, 2017.

In her statement of claim, Kok claimed that the statement was published by the print and electronic media including on Jamal’s Facebook page.

Kok, who is Seputeh MP, claimed that that the defamatory statement, among others, gave the impression that she had misused state government funds for her own use and was an unethical person.

She is seeking RM1mil in general damages, and compensatory damages, aggravated damages and exemplary damages, and an injunction to prevent Jamal from making further such claims in the media.

-- BERNAMA