LTAT withdraws suit against Rafizi over retirees' gratuity

KUALA LUMPUR: The Armed Forces Fund Board (LTAT) has withdrawn its suit against former Pandan MP Mohd Rafizi Ramli at no cost.
The suit was over a statement Rafizi made on LTAT's gratuity payment to Armed Forces retirees which was allegedly said to tarnish the board's good image, integrity and reputation.
"LTAT have withdrawn their suit against Rafizi Ramli with the agreement from all parties. The application was done in front of the judge with no order as to cost," lawyer Saiful Izham Ramli who represented Rafizi said.
On May 6, 2016, LTAT sued Rafizi for a statement he made on its gratuity payment to Armed Forces retirees. It alleged the statement was intended to tarnish the board's good image, integrity and reputation.
It was seeking general and exemplary damages, and an injunction to restrain the defendant or his agents from publishing or broadcasting the alleged defamatory statement again.
In its statement of claim, LTAT alleged that Mohd Rafizi had disparaged it in his blog and facebook on March 21, 2016 with a write-up titled, 'Bayaran gratuiti pesara angkatan tentera lewat; LTAT perlu dedahkan risiko kewangan akibat 1MDB'.
It also alleged that on March 24, 2016, Mohd Rafizi issued a statement that appeared in the Malaysiakini website titled, 'Rafizi: I have documents showing LTAT's link to 1MDB'.
It further alleged that on March 28, 2016, Mohd Rafizi made another disparaging statement in his Facebook, titled, 'Laporan ketua audit negara ke atas 1MDB mengesahkan kesan masalah kewangan 1MDB ke atas LTAT'.
The plaintiff alleged Mohd Rafizi through his statements was saying indirectly or sarcastically that LTAT had failed to look after the retirees' interest and welfare and had no money to pay them gratuity.