Felda vs Saifuddin suit settled amicably
BernamaPublished: Apr 21, 2014 7:19 PM | Updated: Apr 21, 2014 7:24 PM
The defamation suit filed by the Federal Land Development Authority (Felda) against Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) secretary-general Saifuddin Nasution Ismail over allegations that Felda
had sold its palm oil to Israel, was settled amicably today.
The defamation suit filed by the Federal Land Development Authority (Felda) against Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) secretary-general Saifuddin Nasution Ismail over allegations that Felda
had sold its palm oil to Israel, was settled amicably today.
High Court Judicial Commissioner Lee Heng Cheong recorded the consent judgment in open court after Felda’s counsel Mohd Hafarizam Harun told the court that both parties had agreed to settle the case.
The suit related to a couple of articles titled ‘2,000 Himpun Bantah Felda Jual Minyak ke Israel’ (‘2,000 Protest Felda’s Sale of Palm Oil to Israel’) and ‘BN Jangan Tipu Rakyat’ (‘BN Don’t Cheat the People’) dated Nov 27, 2012, published in Suara Keadilan.
“The seventh defendant (Saifuddin) hereby accepts and acknowledges that Felda Iffco Oil Product Sdn Bhd had on March 2010 sent shipments to Palestine and not Israel, and that Felda has never sold crude palm oil to Israel or any Israel-owned companies,” he said.
He added that Felda and Felda Iffco Oil Product Sdn Bhd were two separate legal entities.
The court had heard testimonies from seven plaintiff and defendant’s witnesses to date and as the seventh defendant Saifuddin had been scheduled to give his evidence in the hearing today.
The court set April 30 for the decision on the suit against six other defendants.
On Jan 7 last year, Felda filed the defamation suit against seven defendants for alleging that it was exporting palm oil to Israel.
They defendants were Felda Settlers’ Children Association (Anak) president Mazlan Aliman; PAS secretary-general Mustafa Ali; Harakah editor-in-chief Ahmad Lutfi Othman, editor Taufek Yahya, article writer Mohd Arif Atan and printer of Harakah, Angkatan Edaran Ent Sdn Bhd.
According to its statement of claim, Felda claimed that Mazlan had posted a defamatory statement on his Facebook page on Nov 19, 2012 and had also made the same statement during a gathering in front of the Felda office four days later (Nov 23, 2012).
Felda claimed that the statement was republished by the second to sixth defendants in several Harakah newspaper articles between Nov 26 and 29, 2012.
Felda further claimed that the statement had affected Felda’s reputation and that the defendants had done so with the intention to achieve their personal agendas to destroy people’s faith in Felda.
The plaintiff sought general and exemplary damages, costs and other relief deemed fit by the court.
Saifuddin was represented by counsel William Leong while the other defendants were represented by counsel Azhana Mohd Khairuddin.
- Bernama
had sold its palm oil to Israel, was settled amicably today.
High Court Judicial Commissioner Lee Heng Cheong recorded the consent judgment in open court after Felda’s counsel Mohd Hafarizam Harun told the court that both parties had agreed to settle the case.
The suit related to a couple of articles titled ‘2,000 Himpun Bantah Felda Jual Minyak ke Israel’ (‘2,000 Protest Felda’s Sale of Palm Oil to Israel’) and ‘BN Jangan Tipu Rakyat’ (‘BN Don’t Cheat the People’) dated Nov 27, 2012, published in Suara Keadilan.
“The seventh defendant (Saifuddin) hereby accepts and acknowledges that Felda Iffco Oil Product Sdn Bhd had on March 2010 sent shipments to Palestine and not Israel, and that Felda has never sold crude palm oil to Israel or any Israel-owned companies,” he said.
He added that Felda and Felda Iffco Oil Product Sdn Bhd were two separate legal entities.
The court had heard testimonies from seven plaintiff and defendant’s witnesses to date and as the seventh defendant Saifuddin had been scheduled to give his evidence in the hearing today.
The court set April 30 for the decision on the suit against six other defendants.
On Jan 7 last year, Felda filed the defamation suit against seven defendants for alleging that it was exporting palm oil to Israel.
They defendants were Felda Settlers’ Children Association (Anak) president Mazlan Aliman; PAS secretary-general Mustafa Ali; Harakah editor-in-chief Ahmad Lutfi Othman, editor Taufek Yahya, article writer Mohd Arif Atan and printer of Harakah, Angkatan Edaran Ent Sdn Bhd.
According to its statement of claim, Felda claimed that Mazlan had posted a defamatory statement on his Facebook page on Nov 19, 2012 and had also made the same statement during a gathering in front of the Felda office four days later (Nov 23, 2012).
Felda claimed that the statement was republished by the second to sixth defendants in several Harakah newspaper articles between Nov 26 and 29, 2012.
Felda further claimed that the statement had affected Felda’s reputation and that the defendants had done so with the intention to achieve their personal agendas to destroy people’s faith in Felda.
The plaintiff sought general and exemplary damages, costs and other relief deemed fit by the court.
Saifuddin was represented by counsel William Leong while the other defendants were represented by counsel Azhana Mohd Khairuddin.
- Bernama
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