KUALA LUMPUR, July 17 — The High Court today ordered Prof Datuk Mahamad Naser Disa to pay RM80,000 in damages to Federal Territories Minister Khalid Abdul Samad, who won a defamation suit which he had filed against the former Malaysian Institute of Islamic Strategic Studies (Iksim) CEO.

The lawsuit was over the SHariah Courts (Criminal Jurisdiction) (Amendment) Bill 2016 or RUU355.

in her judgement High Court Judicial Commissioner Rohani Ismail said the court found no evidence indicating that the plaintiff (Khalid) had issued a statement that he was against RUU355.

"The defendant’s (Mahamad Naser) statement claiming that the plaintiff was against RUU355 was incorrect and had tarnished his reputation.

"As such the court has allowed the plaintiff’s claim and the defendant is ordered to pay damages amounting to RM80,000 with costs of RM20,000 to the plaintiff,” she said. — Bernama