Case Settled, Papagomo Shouldn’t Have Defamed Fahmi In First Place - Lawyer

KUALA LUMPUR, April 6 (Bernama) -- The 2023 defamation suit filed by Datuk Fahmi Fadzil against Muhammad Azri Wan Deris, or ‘Papagomo’, over allegations that the Communications Minister gave a political speech at a mosque in Rawang, Selangor, was settled in the High Court here today.

Fahmi’s lawyer, Asheeq Ali Sethi Alivi, said at a press conference that the case had been resolved amicably.

“This joint statement confirms that, after reviewing additional explanations and official statements in the newspapers, the plaintiff’s speech at Masjid Nurul Yaqin, Kuang, Rawang, Selangor, on July 30, 2023, was not a political campaign or a politically motivated statement.

“The matter stemmed from a misunderstanding that shouldn’t have arisen, and both parties have agreed not to make any statements beyond what’s set out in this joint statement,” he said after proceedings before Judge Datuk Raja Ahmad Mohzanuddin Shah Raja Mohzan.

Meanwhile, Asheeq said the defamation suit against independent preacher Ahmad Dusuki Abd Rani will proceed to trial tomorrow, after the parties failed to settle, with Fahmi set to begin giving his testimony.

Fahmi thanked his legal team for handling the mediation between two of the three defendants.

“Two of the three cases have cleared my name. The earlier allegations were unfair, baseless, and defamatory. I hope that in the future, people will verify their facts before posting on social media and take lessons from this incident,” he said.

Earlier, Fahmi’s defamation suit against Facebook user ‘N13 Kuang’, Mohd Fauzan Madzlan, over the same issue was settled in the High Court here.

According to his statement of claim filed on Sept 5, 2023, Fahmi alleges Wan Muhammad Azri, Ahmad Dusuki, and Mohd Fauzan of publishing defamatory statements accusing him of misusing a place of worship, namely a mosque, for election campaigning purposes and acting contrary to the decrees and orders of the Sultan of Selangor.

Fahmi claims that the defamatory statements were published on Mohd Fauzan’s Facebook account, as well as on Ahmad Dusuki’s Facebook and Instagram accounts on July 31, 2023, and on Wan Muhammad Azri’s TikTok and Facebook accounts on Aug 1, the same year.

According to Fahmi, the statements by the defendants are baseless, and the Selangor Islamic Religious Council has confirmed that he did not make any political speech as alleged by the defendants.

He is seeking general, aggravated, or exemplary damages and an injunction to prevent all defendants from repeating or causing the republication of the defamatory statements.

-- BERNAMA