PM GETS RESTRAINING ORDER AGAINST PUAD
Umno leader is barred from making statements on FB against Muhyiddin on quarantine issue
PRIME Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin has obtained an injunction to stop Umno Supreme Council member Datuk Dr Mohd Puad Zarkashi from making any statements on the quarantine issue against him on Facebook.
The former deputy education minister is hence barred from making any statements on Facebook against Muhyiddin pertaining to the alleged double standards in quarantine issue.
Muhyiddin’s counsel, Rosli Dahlan, said High Court judge Datuk Mohd Firuz Jaffril made the ruling pending Puad’s bid to strike out a previous injunction order that would end next week.
“The court has fixed May 24 for hearing applications from both sides. His lawyer has sent their affidavits yesterday (Thursday)… We will respond (to it).”
Puad’s counsel, G. Rajasingam, said they did not object to the new application Muhyiddin filed.
He said the previous injunction will expire on March 21 and this new ad interim injunction will come into effect the next day.
On March 1, the same court granted Muhyiddin an interim injunction to stop Puad from making any statements relating to the issue.
The injunction was obtained by an urgent application filed by Muhyiddin pending the disposal of the inter parte hearing.
This came after Muhyiddin filed a defamation suit against Puad over the latter’s statements on Facebook questioning the alleged double standards involving the three-day quarantine issue.
According to the statement of claim, Muhyiddin said Puad had tarnished his integrity and goodwill and eroded public confidence in him.
He said the statement by the defendant caused him to be pulled into public scandal, odium and disrepute.
He is seeking general, exemplary and aggravated damages with the amount to be assessed by the court.
He is also seeking an injunction to prevent Puad or his associates or representatives from publishing, posting, sharing the Facebook post or continuing to do so, as well as an injunction to stop such actions in relation to statements similar to or related to the Facebook post.
Muhyiddin is also seeking a court order for Puad to immediately, prominently and permanently publish an unequivocal public apology on his Facebook page “DrPuad Zarkashi” in terms to be dictated by Muhyiddin.