Utusan countersues Teresa Kok for defamation

(The Sun) Utusan Melayu (M)Bhd has counter-sued Seputeh MP Teresa Kok(pix) for accusing the paper of distorting what she said.

In a statement to the media, Utusan said it had through Messrs Shafee & Co served a writ and summons on Kok through her lawyer S.N Nair & Partners on Feb 27 for allegedly making defamatory statements about it.

The subject matter of Utusan's suit is Kok's allegation that the daily had twisted and distorted statements she had made over national media and her own blog about food she was served while in detention under ISA.

The paper alleged the defamatory statements were made on Sept 22, last year arising of statements she made during her press conference on Sept 19, 2008 where she had alleged that the daily had memutarbelitkan (twisted and distorted) her actual words in their reporting.
 
According to the press statement, Utusan is also seeking  an order to remove the libelous article or words from offending weblog cum website.

Utusan is also seeking an injunction to restrain Kok. whether by herself, her agents or servants or otherwise, from further publishing or causing to be published the defamatory words.

It also seeks general, special, aggravated and punitive damages, interests, costs and any reliefs deemed fit by the court.

Kok had late last year filed two suits amounting to RM130 million against Utusan for defamation.

In October 2008, Kok sued Utusan and its columnist Zaini Hassan for RM30 million over an article that allegedly defamed her over an allegation that she had "forced" a mosque from using loudspeakers for the azan.

She filed a second suit for RM100 million against the paper and its columnist Datuk Chamil Wariya in December  over Chamil's story entitled Politik Baru YB J, which Kok claimed referred to her either directly or through innuendo.

She had also alleged that the article had instigated assasination as it had called for the fictitious MP, "YB J"  should be shot.