Appellate Court Reduce Damages Award To Altantuya’s Family To RM1.4 Million

PUTRAJAYA, Jan 20 (Bernama) -- The Court of Appeal here today reduced the quantum of damages awarded to the family of murdered Mongolian model Altantuya Shaariibuu from RM5 million to RM1.4 million in a civil suit over her death in 2006.

The unanimous decision was made by Chief Judge of Malaya Datuk Hashim Hamzah, together with Court of Appeal Judges Datuk Azman Abdullah and K. Muniandy.

Justice Muniandy, in reading out the decision, said in the present case, the global sum of RM5 million was awarded primarily on a vindicatory basis, rather than through a proper calculation of loss of dependency.

“Such an award cannot stand. Accordingly, the award of RM5 million is set aside. The damages assessable are strictly limited to loss of dependency, calculated based on the deceased’s proven income using the multiplier–multiplicand method, and subject to the statutory limits prescribed under Section 7(3)(a) of the Civil Law Act (CLA), together with funeral expenses under Section 7(3)(b) of the CLA.” he said.

The appellate court also held that the government was not vicariously liable for Altantuya’s death, as the acts of the two former police officers, Sirul Azhar Umar and Azilah Hadri, were committed outside the scope of their duty.

-- BERNAMA