Date: Wed, 18 Apr 2001 09:16:13 +0800
NEWS
Print version of this story
Tuesday April 17
Pay RM85,000 to Dr M, court orders Anwar
K Kabilan
8:07pm, Tue: The Kuala Lumpur High Court today ordered jailed deputy premier
Anwar Ibrahim to pay more than RM85,000 to the prime minister as costs for
his failed defamation suit.
Anwar's lawyer Karpal Singh said deputy registrar Rozilah Salleh ordered
Anwar to pay RM85,284.80 to Dr Mahathir Mohamad after the former's RM100
million defamation suit was successfully struck out by the court.
Karpal said that Rozilah gave her decision in her chambers today after
having heard submissions from both parties earlier.
Karpal said he will take instructions from Anwar on whether to appeal this
ruling.
<<...>>
Anwar's suit was struck out by the High Court on Aug 30, 1999, as a
preliminary issue without going for a full trial. On Dec 9 last year, the
C!
ourt of Appeal dismissed Anwar's bid to pursue the suit and upheld the High
Court decision to strike it out.
The Court of Appeal held that Mahathir was sheltered by the defences of
justification and qualified privileges. On Jan 23, the Federal Court
dismissed Anwar's application for leave to appeal with costs.
Malicious intention
Anwar filed the suit in January 1999, claiming that Mahathir at a press
conference had "falsely and maliciously accused him of committing an immoral
act". He said that Mahathir knew his comments would be published locally and
internationally.
<<...>>
In his statement of defence filed in March 1999, Mahathir contended that he
spoke the words as prime minister on an occasion of qualified privilege. He
said he made the remark in relation to Anwar's suitability for the office he
held, and after due inquiry and investigation.
In his reply, Anwar said the defence of qualified!
privilege was not open to
Mahathir because he had acted maliciously by uttering and causing the
offending words to be published and republished.
Anwar was sacked from the government by Mahathir in September 1998 on the
grounds of immorality.
In April 1999, Anwar was jailed for six years for abuse of power and in
August last year was imprisoned nine years for sodomy, with the sentences to
run consecutively.
Anwar has maintained that Mahathir orchestrated a conspiracy to frame him
because he was seen as a political threat. The government has denied any
plot, saying that Anwar received a fair trial.
Last modified:Tuesday April 17, 8:15 pm
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