Application dismissed on grounds that it has no merit.
Primary Industries Minister Teresa Kok’s RM1 million defamation suit against Sungai Besar Umno chief Jamal Md Yunos will proceed for hearing on Feb 25.
This followed when the Kuala Lumpur High Court dismissed defendant Jamal’s application to strike out the suit by plaintiff Kok today.
The plaintiff’s lawyer, K Murali confirmed the ruling issued by judicial commissioner Quay Chew Soon during case management in her chambers today.
“Yes, Jamal tried to strike out (the suit), and his (striking out) application (was) dismissed,” Murali said when contacted today.
The lawyer said the court dismissed Jamal’s striking-out bid as it had no merit whereas Kok’s suit against him has a valid cause of action which is triable in full hearing.
Murali said the court also found that the trial dates had already been fixed earlier before the striking-out bid was filed, hence the said application came too late.
The lawyer added that the legal action would come up for case management on Feb 14, then the matter would proceed for a full hearing for three days from Feb 25 to 27.
Counsel Mohammed Nasser Yusof appeared for Jamal during today’s chamber matter.
The court also ordered RM3,000 costs to be paid by Jamal.
Kok filed the suit on April 6, 2017 over Jamal’s alleged defamatory statement pertaining to Yawas’ funds during a press conference on March 8, 2017.
In her statement of claim, Kok said that Jamal had alleged at the press conference that she had embezzled money from the Selangor state fund.
On March 31, 2017, MACC raided Kok’s office and seized several files as part of its probe.
Kok, who is also Seputeh MP, claimed 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 RM1 million in general damages, along with compensatory, aggravated and exemplary damages, and an injunction to prevent Jamal from repeating or spreading the allegations.