Khalid sues Malaysian Insider over Selangor MB issue

KUALA LUMPUR: Selangor Menteri Besar Selangor Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim (pix) has filed a defamation suit against news portal The Malaysian Insider over its posting of articles on the Selangor Menteri Besar issue.
It was filed through the legal firm of Messrs. Bon at the High Court registry here yesterday. A copy of the statement of claim was obtained by media members today.
Abdul Khalid's lawyer, New Sin Yew, told the media today, that a copy of the originating summon would be served on The Malaysian Insider.
In the suit, Abdul Khalid named the chief executive officer and editor of the website www.themalaysianinsider.com (The Malaysian Insider) Jahabar Sadiq Abdul Kader, Malay Language editor Amin Shah Iskandar, owner and administrator of the news portal, The Edge Communications Sdn Bhd and TMIDOTCOM Sdn Bhd as defendants.
In the statement of claim, Abdul Khalid stated that the Jahabar (first defendant) had published statements which were defamatory and/or false in an article with the title "Going by Selangor ruler's criteria, Khalid should quit as MB" in The Malaysian Insider commentary section on July 24 this year.
He claimed the same article was also published by Amin Shah (second defendant), but in Malay, on the same date with the title "Berasaskan Kriteria Sultan Selangor, Khalid wajar berundur sebagai MB".
Abdul Khalid claimed that the statements in the articles implied that he is a person who could not be trusted, unethical and not eligible to hold the Menteri Besar post.
The statements in the articles were published with malicious intent, he added. Abdul Khalid, who is also Bandar Tun Razak Member of Parliament, claimed that the The Malaysian Insider also published a series of commentaries, from June 9 to July 24 this year, on his alleged misconduct.
He said the commentaries also discussed the proposal by Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) to replace him as Selangor Menteri Besar, including the one dated July 15 with the title 'Let Pakatan Rakyat Decides Selangor MB post, not Umno".
He claimed that the defendants had allowed the publication of the articles despite knowing that they would affect his reputation and credibility and had published the words without verifying them.
The defendants, he claimed, also published articles containing words to instigate readers and the public against him to make him step down as Selangor Menteri Besar.
Abdul Khalid claimed that the publication of the articles had seriously damaged his reputation as Selangor Menteri Besar and Port Klang Assemblyman, as well as exposed him to public ridicule, odium and contempt.
He is seeking, among others, an injunction to stop the defendants from further publishing the articles and commentaries, as well as general, aggravated and exemplary damages. He also wants the defendants to retract the said articles and apologise to him. – Bernama