PETALING JAYA: Supporters of Sungai Besar Umno division chief Datuk Seri Jamal Md Yunos (pix) have raised some RM300,000 in a donation drive launched to help pay for damages and legal fees incurred in two separate defamation suits filed individually by Opposition MPs Maria Chin and Teresa Kok.
The campaign, the Solidarity Fund to Save Jamal, was launched on Saturday by a grassroots group called Coalition of Selangor’s Sons, Malay Mail reports.
Its chief, Datuk Faizal Zakaria, said on the day of the launch itself donations had reached RM200,000.
“Latest this morning was around RM300,000,” he told Malay Mail.
The Court of Appeal on March 8 had dismissed Jamal’s appeal to set aside a High Court’s decision that held him liable for defaming Maria, who once led polls reform group Bersih 2.0.
Maria sued Jamal for defamation for linking her and Bersih 2.0 with the Islamic State militant group. She is now MP for Petaling Jaya.
The Umno leader was instructed to pay RM300,000 in damages but the appellate court had allowed Jamal’s appeal to reduce the quantum of damages to RM150,000 from RM300,000 previously.
In a separate suit, the High Court ruled in July that Jamal had defamed Seputeh DAP MP Kok and ordered him to pay RM300,000 in compensation and RM50,000 in costs.
The Umno leader has yet to pay the damages, which prompted Kok to file a bankruptcy suit on September 18.
