KUALA LUMPUR: The High Court today dismissed an application by Sungai Besar division UMNO chief Datuk Seri Jamal Md Yunos to stay the execution for a judgment of RM300,000 in damages to former Primary Industries Minister Teresa Kok Suh Kim over the alleged misuse of Yayasan Warisan Anak Selangor (Yawas) funds last year.
Kok’s counsel, Datuk S.N. Nair when contacted said Judicial Commissioner (JC) Datuk Mohd Arief Emran Arifin dismissed Jamal’s application as a defendant with a cost of RM3,000 to be paid to his client.
In an online proceeding today, he said the court dismissed the application because there were no special circumstances to warrant the stay.
Meanwhile, lawyer Rejinder Singh, who is appearing for Jamal when contacted confirmed the matter, adding that they will appeal against the decision.
On July 26 last year, Kok was awarded RM300,000 in damages after JC Mohd Arief allowed her defamation suit against Jamal.
He also ordered Jamal to pay the cost of RM50,000 to Kok.
Kok filed the suit on April 6, 2017, over an allegedly defamatory statement by Jamal about Yawas funds during a news conference on March 8, 2017.
In her statement of claim, she said the statement was published by both the print and electronic media, as well as on Jamal’s Facebook page.
She claimed that the statement, among others, gave the impression that she had misused state government funds for herself and was an unethical person.
Kok had sought RM1 million in general damages, compensatory damages, aggravated damages and exemplary damages, and an injunction to prevent Jamal from further making such claims in the media. - Bernama
