Mukhriz loses suit against ex-DAP veep
KUALA LUMPUR: Kedah Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Mukhriz Mahathir has lost his defamation suit against former DAP vice-chairman Tunku Abdul Aziz Ibrahim.
The High Court yesterday ruled that Mukhriz had failed to prove the defamatory nature of his suit against Tunku Abdul Aziz.
Justice Datuk Nordin Hassan said Mukhriz had failed to prove his case that the statement Tunku Abdul Aziz made was defamatory and had caused him to be ridiculed by the public
The court also ordered Mukhriz, who is also the Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia deputy president, to pay costs of RM15,000 to the defendant.
On Feb 7, 2017, Mukhriz filed a defamation suit alleging that on Dec 30, 2016, Tunku Abdul Aziz had issued a statement titled “There is a secret pact between Tun Mahathir and Kit Siang” which was reported in the blog AIDC News. The statement alleged that the secret pact was for Mahathir to be appointed prime minister and for DAP leader Lim Kit Siang as deputy prime minister should the then opposition coalition win the general election.
Mukhriz alleged that on Jan 1, 2017, they had made a public denial on the matter and issued a notice of demand for the defendant to prove his defamatory statement, failing which he would take legal action against the defendant.
However, on Jan 3, 2017, the defendant produced another media statement titled “Tunku Aziz urges Mukhriz, Kit Siang to make sworn statements”.