NST ex-bosses, blogger reach settlement
BernamaPublished: Jan 31, 2012 2:13 PM | Updated: Jan 31, 2012 5:25 PM
The defamation suit brought by four former executives of the New Straits Times Press (M) Berhad (NSTP) five years ago against blogger Ahirudin Attan has been resolved amicably.
In the spirit of an amicable settlement, the four top editors and Rocky Bru agree that there will be no order as to costs.
The defamation suit brought by four former executives of the New Straits Times Press (M) Berhad (NSTP) five years ago against blogger Ahirudin Attan has been resolved amicably.
Counsel from both sides today tendered a statement of settlement to High Court Judge Asmabi Mohamed.
Counsel Rishwant Singh represented the four former NSTP executives while Jahaberdeen Mohamed Yunoos acted for Ahirudin, who was present in court.
The case was scheduled for case management today.
On Jan 4, 2007, the four, then NSTP deputy chairman Kalimullah Hassan (left), chief executive officer Syed Faisal Albar, group editor-in-chief Hishamuddin Aun and group editor Brendan Pereira, filed a suit against Ahirudin for defamation and malicious falsehood.
The suit pertains to articles and postings published, or permitted to be published, by Ahirudin in his Rocky's Bru blog which they claimed referred to them and were defamatory.
Initially, the NSTP was also named as a plaintiff in the suit. However, on Sept 27, 2010, the company withdrew as a plaintiff.
Ahirudin, in his statement of defence filed on May 3, 2007, denied that the words were defamatory and that he had relied on fair comment on a matter of public interest and public information.
In the settlement statement, Ahirudin is said to have recognised, acknowledged and empathised with the considerable distress, embarrassment and inconvenience caused to the four plaintiffs resulting from the publication of the statements.
According to the statement, Ahirudin expressed his sincere and utmost regret for the consequences caused to the plaintiffs, and agreed to withdraw all allegations and imputations and to apologise for them.
"In addition, the defendant (Ahirudin) agrees and undertakes to not publish any of the allegations and imputations or any similar or other allegations and imputations, defamatory or otherwise, concerning any of the plaintiffs in this action whether by words, in pictures or otherwise, now or in the future on the Rocky's Bru weblog or any other weblog or website," it said.
It also said that in the course of publishing his online weblog on the world wide web at http://rockybru.blogspot.com, a number of statements and comments were published by the defendant, all of which are to be found in the statement of claim.
"The plaintiffs maintain that these allegations are libellous and that these statements have caused the plaintiffs considerable distress, embarrassment and inconvenience," said the statement.
The statement also stated that in the spirit of an amicable settlement, both parties agreed that there will be no order as to costs.
Jahaberdeen told reporters his client will publish the settlement statement in his blog.
- Bernama
Counsel from both sides today tendered a statement of settlement to High Court Judge Asmabi Mohamed.
Counsel Rishwant Singh represented the four former NSTP executives while Jahaberdeen Mohamed Yunoos acted for Ahirudin, who was present in court.
The case was scheduled for case management today.
On Jan 4, 2007, the four, then NSTP deputy chairman Kalimullah Hassan (left), chief executive officer Syed Faisal Albar, group editor-in-chief Hishamuddin Aun and group editor Brendan Pereira, filed a suit against Ahirudin for defamation and malicious falsehood.The suit pertains to articles and postings published, or permitted to be published, by Ahirudin in his Rocky's Bru blog which they claimed referred to them and were defamatory.
Initially, the NSTP was also named as a plaintiff in the suit. However, on Sept 27, 2010, the company withdrew as a plaintiff.
Ahirudin, in his statement of defence filed on May 3, 2007, denied that the words were defamatory and that he had relied on fair comment on a matter of public interest and public information.
In the settlement statement, Ahirudin is said to have recognised, acknowledged and empathised with the considerable distress, embarrassment and inconvenience caused to the four plaintiffs resulting from the publication of the statements.
According to the statement, Ahirudin expressed his sincere and utmost regret for the consequences caused to the plaintiffs, and agreed to withdraw all allegations and imputations and to apologise for them.
"In addition, the defendant (Ahirudin) agrees and undertakes to not publish any of the allegations and imputations or any similar or other allegations and imputations, defamatory or otherwise, concerning any of the plaintiffs in this action whether by words, in pictures or otherwise, now or in the future on the Rocky's Bru weblog or any other weblog or website," it said.
It also said that in the course of publishing his online weblog on the world wide web at http://rockybru.blogspot.com, a number of statements and comments were published by the defendant, all of which are to be found in the statement of claim.
"The plaintiffs maintain that these allegations are libellous and that these statements have caused the plaintiffs considerable distress, embarrassment and inconvenience," said the statement.
The statement also stated that in the spirit of an amicable settlement, both parties agreed that there will be no order as to costs.
Jahaberdeen told reporters his client will publish the settlement statement in his blog.
- Bernama
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