Parties in defamation suit filed by Nurul Izzah fail to reach settlement

Former Rural and Regional Development Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob and former Inspector-General of Police Khalid Abu Bakar were unable to reach a settlement in a defamation lawsuit filed against them by Nurul Izzah Anwar (above).

Ismail's counsel Ragunath Kesevan told the Court of Appeal's three-member bench today that the parties could not settle and hence hearing of submissions will resume.

During the last appeal hearing, the appellate court had asked the parties to see if they could settle the matter.

Ismail and Khalid were appealing against the decision of a High Court to award Nurul, who is Permatang Pauh Member of Parliament, a total sum of RM1 million in damages after finding them (Ismail Sabri and Khalid) liable for defaming her.

However, the hearing of the appeal did not proceed today as Justice Hamid Sultan Abu Backer (below), who chaired the bench, told parties in the appeal to provide the court with case law authorities relating to the quantum of damages.

“Give them time because they are the people who are going to be affected,” Justice Hamid told counsel Ranjit Singh, who is representing Nurul Izzah.

The other two judges were Kamaludin Md Said and Mohamad Zabidin Mohd Diah.

Justice Hamid then instructed parties to go for case management of the matter at the Court of Appeal registry to set the next hearing date.

Deputy registrar Suriyanilakma Abd Kadir subsequently fixed Sept 18 for hearing.

On April 18 last year, the High Court ordered Ismail and Khalid to pay RM600,000 and RM400,000 in damages respectively to Nurul after ruling that the statements made by Ismail and Khalid in two separate press conferences had, in its natural and ordinary meaning, defamed Nurul Izzah.

Nurul sued the duo alleging that they had portrayed her as a traitor to the country and the mastermind in the Lahad Datu intrusion in Sabah in 2013.

Senior federal counsel Zureen Elina Mohd Dom represented Khalid.

- Bernama