GEORGE TOWN, May 2 — The High Court here today rejected the suit filed by former PAS deputy president Mohamad Sabu against Utusan Group editor-in-chief Datuk Aziz Ishak and Utusan Melayu (Malaysia) Berhad concerning the publication of an article on the Bukit Kepong communist issue.
Counsel Wan Azmir Wan Majid, who represented Aziz and the company, when contacted by Bernama said that Justice Datuk Seri Zakaria Sam ruled that the speech by Mohamad Sabu or better known as Mat Sabu concerning the attack on Bukit Kepong and the independence fighters on Aug 21, 2011 was not libellous in nature.
Wan Azmir said in addition the court also decided that the defence made by the defendant that it was justified and a fair comment and conditional protection was applicable.
He said the court also found that Mat Sabu had made a controversial speech which subjected himself to criticisms.
Thus, the court also ordered Mat Sabu, who is now president of Parti Amanah Negara (PAN) as the plaintiff to pay the cost of RM70,000 to both defendants.
On Dec 21, 2011, Mat Sabu filed a suit claiming that both defendants, with malicious intent, had produced an article on Aug 27, 2011 and two other articles on the following day which he claimed contained slanderous elements.
He claimed that the three articles concerned the issue on the communist attack on the Bukit Kepong Police Station in Johor. — Bernama
