Abdul Wahab seeking RM5 mln from ‘Chegu Bard’ for defamation

KUALA LUMPUR: A former assistant Information officer at the Community Communications Department (J-KOM), Abdul Wahab Abd Kader Jilani has filed a lawsuit against Badrul Hisham Shaharin or ‘Chegu Bard’ for allegedly defaming him.

It was regarding a video containing an indecent communication allegedly between Abdul Wahab and former J-Kom director Datuk Dr Mohammad Agus Yusoff.

Abdul Wahab filed the suit through the law firm of Mr Faizal Rahman & Co at the High Court here on Dec 22 last year.

In the statement of claim, he stated that the defendant had published, broadcast and spread defamatory statements against him in a video in a post on a Facebook page under the name “Che GuBard’ and ‘Che’GuBard Official’ for public viewing.

He claimed the video, which was republished in the defendant’s Telegram channel under the name “Che’gu bard Original” depicted him and Mohammad Agus having an indecent conversation which was intended to show that he (Abdul Wahab) was involved in immoral or homosexual activities.

Abdul Wahab claimed that the Facebook and Telegram pages belonged to the defendant who had full access and control over the pages.

The defamatory statements were published for his personal benefit, in terms of popularity and position among his followers.

Abdul Wahab is seeking RM5 million in aggravated and exemplary damages, as well as general damages in the amount deemed fit by the court.

He is also seeking a public apology from the defendant to be published for 30 consecutive days in the Utusan Malaysia, Sinar Harian, Berita Harian and News Straits Times newspapers and for all the defamatory statements and the videos removed from all online and social media platforms belonging to the defendant.