PAS information chief Nasruddin Hassan today retracted an article he posted two years ago which allegedly contained defamatory statements against Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng. The Temerloh MP told the Penang High Court that after studying the documents presented to the court, he regretted causing any misunderstanding. He said as both sides did not want to prolong the matter, he was retracting his article dated August 6, 2014, containing points made without basis against Lim.
In the article, Nasruddin had compared the treatment Lim and former Selangor menteri besar Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim received from Pakatan Rakyat over their handling of Penang’s billion-ringgit undersea tunnel and the controversial Kinrara-Damansara Expressway (Kidex). He asked why Khalid was attacked over the federal-funded Kidex project when Lim was left off easily for backing the tunnel project, which he alleged was awarded to Consortium Zenith Sdn Bhd via direct negotiations despite objections. Lim sued Nasruddin for defamation after the latter did not respond to his demand for an apology. In his witness statement, Lim said the article by Nasruddin had disparaged his reputation and personal standing as chief minister, Bagan MP, Air Putih assemblyman and DAP secretary-general. He also clarified allegations made by Nasruddin, saying the tunnel project was awarded via an open tender and that the Penang government had not recorded a deficit since taking over the administration. Judicial commissioner Lim Chong Fong, in the consent judgment, ordered Nasruddin to pay RM10,000 in costs. Nasruddin, who was represented by law firm Tengku Amalin’s A-Ishah Putri, Faizi and Wan Rohimi, later explained to reporters outside the court his decision to retract. “I retracted the article I wrote on my Facebook page as certain points in my statement caused misunderstanding. “There was no apology made, although the plaintiff had demanded it from the beginning. I had no intention to do so and the plaintiff has accepted the term I used in court, so I think it is all settled,” he said. Lim’s lawyer Datuk N. Mureli said Nasruddin had used the word “kesal” (regret) that he had caused misunderstanding and withdrawn his statement.(LOOI SUE-CHERN)
Link: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/pas-lawmaker-retracts-defamatory-statement-against-guan-eng
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