PUTRAJAYA, Oct 17 — Permatang Pauh Member of Parliament Nurul Izzah Anwar will receive RM850,000 in damages in her lawsuit over defamatory statements that linked her with self-styled Sulu princess Jacel Kiram.

Her lawyer Ranjit Singh informed the Court of Appeal three-man bench today that his client and former rural and regional development minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob have reached a settlement.

He said all parties in the lawsuit have agreed for Ismail Sabri’s appeal against liability to be dismissed and also for him (Ismail Sabri) to pay a reduced quantum of damages to Nurul Izzah from RM600,000 to RM450,000.

Ranjit Singh said Ismail Sabri would also tender a private apology to Nurul Izzah.

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Lawyer Ragunath Kesevan appearing for Ismail Sabri confirmed the settlement.

Nurul Izzah sued the duo alleging that they had portrayed her as a traitor to the country and the mastermind in the Lahad Datu intrusion in Sabah in 2013. — Picture by Choo Choy May
Nurul Izzah sued the duo alleging that they had portrayed her as a traitor to the country and the mastermind in the Lahad Datu intrusion in Sabah in 2013. — Picture by Choo Choy May

Meanwhile, former inspector-general of police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar would have to pay RM400,000 in damages to Nurul Izzah after his appeal was dismissed by the court with RM15,000 costs.

The bench comprising Justices Datuk Hamid Sultan Abu Backer, Datuk Wira Kamaludin Md Said and Datuk Mohamad Zabidin Mohd Diah proceeded to heard Khalid’s appeal after Khalid could not settle the matter with Nurul Izzah on the quantum of damages.

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Justice Hamid Sultan said the court was of the view that there was a liability.

Ranjit Singh earlier told the court that Khalid could not agree to his client’s proposal to reduce the quantum of damages to RM300,000.

Senior federal counsel Zureen Elina Mohd Dom represented Khalid said cited case authorities to support her submission that the quantum of damages should be lesser than the proposed amount.

On April 18 last year, the High Court ordered Ismail and Khalid to pay RM600,000 and RM400,000 in damages respectively to Nurul Izzah after ruling that the statements made by them in two separate press conferences had in its natural and ordinary meaning defamed Nurul Izzah after the appearance of a photograph showing her with self-styled Sulu princess Jacel Kiram.

Nurul Izzah sued the duo alleging that they had portrayed her as a traitor to the country and the mastermind in the Lahad Datu intrusion in Sabah in 2013.

Nurul Izzah attended the court proceedings while her father Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim was present briefly in the court. — Bernama