Thursday 28 Mar 2024
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KUALA LUMPUR (Feb 18): A law firm representing Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaacob had on Friday (Feb 18) afternoon obtained an ex-parte injunction from the High Court here against online publication Agenda Daily to remove an article titled "Ismail Sabri bimbang jadi PM paling singkat, rayu jangan tarik sokongan" (Ismail Sabri worried of being the shortest reigning PM, pleads not to withdraw support).

The injunction was granted by Judicial commissioner Evrol Mariette Peters.

The application was filed by Messrs Kesavan.

When contacted by theedgemarkets.com, senior counsel Ragunath Kesavan confirmed that the High Court had granted the ex-parte injunction order against the political portal for the removal of the article.

The application was filed on Thursday (Feb 17) and the prayers (orders) were given this afternoon.

Prior to this, it was reported that the portal was also being investigated by the police, following its publication. Ismail Sabri also filed a defamation suit against Muhamad Izwan Mohd Zubit, who is the sole proprietor of  the portal.

The investigation follows a report made by Ismail Sabri's political secretary Mohammad Anuar Mohd Yunus, which resulted in an investigation on the portal.

An ex-parte injunction is a prohibitory order made by a single party's application to court to prevent the other side or defendant from continuing its action. Such orders would normally last for 21 days and following that, the court would call both the plaintiff and defendant for an inter-partes hearing to decide whether the prohibitory order should be extended.

In Ismail Sabri's statement of claim that was also filed on Thursday, the Umno vice-president claimed the impugned article dated Jan 30, contains malicious defamatory and untrue statements concerning him.

He also alleged in the natural and ordinary mearning meant that he was concerned on being the shortest serving prime minister, was desperate to maintain the post at all cost, and beg for support.

By innuendo and implication those statements allegedly meant that he is dishonest, scheming, self serving and desperate to remain as prime minister, disloyal to Umno and only interested to serve as premier regardless of the interests of the Malay nationalist party, and that he was more concern in maintaining the post as prime minister rather than the welfare of the citizens of the country.

Ismail Sabri claimed he had suffered mental and emotional stress from the article, which may have an effect on his political career.

“This shows that the impugned article by the defendant was made with malicious intent to injure my reputation and image as a politician in Malaysia,” the statement of claim revealed.

Ismail Sabri added that his solicitors had issued a letter of demand against Izwan on Feb 3, and the article was removed from the themalaysialife.com website.

Hence, he now wants Izwan to be compelled to delete the offending article from the  www.agendadaily.com website and any other social media, comply with an injunction to prevent the defendant from making or causing to issue any similar defamatory statement against him, as well as issue a written apology.

The Bera member of Parliament is also seeking general, aggravated and exemplary damages as well as interests and costs of the action.
 

Edited ByKang Siew Li
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