Yeo’s suit against Jamal to be amicably settled

KUALA LUMPUR: A slander suit filed by Energy, Technology, Science, Climate Change and Environment Minister Yeo Bee Yin against Sungai Besar Umno division chief Datuk Seri Jamal Md Yunos on allegation of abuse of the Selangor Children's Heritage Foundation ( Yawas) funds will be settled amicably via the meditation process.

The matter was announced by lawyer K. Murali representing Yeo to reporters after the management of the case in High Court Judge Datuk Nik Hasmat Nik Mohamad's chambers yesterday, which was also attended by lawyer Mohamad Fauzi Abdul Samad, who acted on behalf of Jamal.

Murali said the mediation process for both parties was fixed on Dec 20 at the Mediation Centre, Kuala Lumpur Courts Complex here.

‘' Both parties agree to refer their dispute to an intermediary for the mediation process. If there is no settlement, the suit will be continued with a trial as fixed prior to this on April 15 to 17,'' he said.

On June 14, 2017, Yeo, as plaintiff, filed the suit against Jamal as defendant to demand RM5 million in damages for issuing a slanderous statement against the plaintiff on the abuse of the Yawas funds.

In her statement of claim, the Bakri Member of Parliament claimed that the defendant had issued a slanderous statement on March 21, 2017 and the statement was published by several newspapers and news portals and also published in the social page of the Facebook account belonging to Jamal.

Yeo claimed the statement, among others, gave the impression that she had abused public funds for personal use and was someone without ethics and could not be trusted.

Other than a general damage of RM5 million, the plaintiff also sought compensation damages, aggravated damages and exemplary damages and an injunction order to bar the defendant or his agent from repeating the statement. — Bernama