Dismissal of Shila Amzah defamation suit upheld
PUTRAJAYA: The Court of Appeal yesterday upheld a High Court’s dismissal of a defamation lawsuit brought by local singer Shila Amzah against an entertainment reporter and two others.
A three-man panel comprising Justices Datuk David Wong Dak Wah, Datuk Abang Iskandar Abang Hashim and Datuk Hasnah Mohammed Hashim unanimously dismissed Shila’s appeal.
Justice Wong who chaired the panel said the court found that High Court judge Rosnaini Saub had correctly dealt with all the issues in her judgment.
He ordered Shila whose real name is Nurshahila Amir Amzah and her company, Shila Amzah Entertainment Bhd to each pay RM20,000 in costs to the three respondents, namely Kosmo entertainment reporter Maliah Surip, the editor and the publisher, which is Utusan Melayu (Malaysia) Bhd.
Shila, and her company filed the suit on Jan 16, 2015 against the respondents alleging that Maliah wrote several defamatory articles relating to her Live in Malaysia concert at Mega Star Arena which were published in Kosmo on Sept 17, 2014.
Shila and her company had sought compensation, additional costs and other relief deemed fit by the court.
On March 31, this year, the High Court in Kuala Lumpur dismissed her lawsuit prompting her to appeal to the Court of Appeal.
Rosnaini in her judgment, found that the articles published by Kosmo were made under qualified privilege. - Bernama