LOKMAN TO APOLOGISE TO KJ OVER COVID-19 REMARKS
Umno supreme council member agrees to publish an apology and pay an undisclosed sum as compensation
THE dispute between former health minister Khairy Jamaluddin and Datuk Lokman Noor Adam over the latter’s remarks on the government’s Covid-19 national vaccination programme was resolved yesterday when the two parties reached an out-ofcourt settlement.
Khairy, who had initially filed a suit against Lokman for defamation, was present for the court proceedings.
He was represented by lawyer Rashid Zulkifli.
High Court judge John Lee Kien How @ Mohd Johan Lee recorded his consent judgment after Lokman, an Umno supreme council member, agreed to publish an apology to Khairy as well as pay the latter an undisclosed sum as compensation.
The apology is to be published on Lokman’s Facebook and YouTube pages.
The outspoken Umno man also agreed to delete the impugned postings which include two videos.
Lokman, who was represented by Logen Eskander Abdullah and Norfazilah Jaafar, was absent.
On Feb 22, last year, the former Rembau member of parliament claimed that Lokman had defamed him by publishing two statements and uploading a picture on his Facebook account “Lokman Noor Adam Official” on Jan 6.
The plaintiff also claimed that Lokman had made the same defamatory statements during his live YouTube session on Jan 10.
Khairy claimed the nature of the publications were clearly designed to undermine the governmen t’s effor t s in the battle against the Covid-19 pandemic.
“The defamatory publications spread false news and information in respect of the Covid-19 vaccinations,” the statement added.
Khairy had sought for the defendant to pay general, exemplary, aggravated damages and other relief deemed fit by the court.
He had also sought a court order for Lokman to take down the video and posts as well as an injunction to restrain the defendants from republishing them.