Court allows Najib to withdraw suit against Pua

KUALA LUMPUR: The High Court here has allowed former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak to withdraw his suit against Damansara MP Tony Pua Kiam Wee over a video clip relating to the tabling of Syariah Courts (Criminal Jurisdiction) (Amendment) Bill or RUU355.

Justice Mohd Zaki Abdul Wahab instructed Najib not to refile any suit in relation to this issue under any circumstances. Justice Mohd Zaki also ordered Najib to pay RM30,000 in costs to Pua.

Pua had objected to Najib’s intention to withdraw the suit as he (Pua) had obtained leave to appeal from the Federal Court over the injunction order obtained by Najib.

“There is no prejudice to the defendant (Pua) and the injunction obtained by Najib was only an interlocutory injunction, which is temporary in nature to prevent the defendant from repeating or broadcasting the video clip,” Justice Mohd Zaki said in his judgment yesterday.

Pua’s counsel Tan Cheng Leong said his client had obtained leave to appeal at the Federal Court against the injunction and the discontinuance would affect their case.

On April 21, 2017, Najib sued Pua in a personal capacity, alleging that the Damansara MP had made defamatory statements against him in a live video relating to the tabling of a Private Member’s Bill to amend RUU355.

The Pekan MP claimed the live video, lasting two minutes and 21 seconds entitled BN Govt abandons all Bills to give precedence to PAS’ RUU355 Private Member’s Bill, could be accessed widely and freely.

Najib said it contained words referring specifically to him and inferred that he had abused his power by pushing through Marang MP Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang’s private member’s Bill for debate.