Mahathir: Only cowards sue critics
“I suspect that what they want is to make the issue sub judice so as to prevent the critics from attacking them on the issue. This is a cowardly move and in fact proves that the criticisms are fully justified,” said Dr Mahathir.
NO HOLDS BARRED
Raja Petra Kamarudin
Former premier Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad has taken a swipe at politicians who file legal suits against critics, calling them cowards.
In his latest blog posting, he says he will not sue author Barry Wain, who in his book ‘Malaysian Maverick: Mahathir Mohamad in Turbulent Times‘ writes that he misappropriated public funds when he was prime minister.
“I am leery of politicians who sue their critics,” he said.
“I suspect that what they want is to make the issue sub judice so as to prevent the critics from attacking them on the issue. This is a cowardly move and in fact proves that the criticisms are fully justified.”
He urges the public to be cautious of such politicians, saying they are prone to abusing their power.
He said a politician should be able to fend of criticisms without going to court if he is innocent.
Mahathir, during whose years in power a number of publications had their licences suspended or cancelled, says politicians who use the legal process to muzzle criticism are no better than a government that shuts down publications which are critical of it. — Free Malaysia Today, 14 June 2010
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Raja Petra and editors to pay RM7mil for libel
ALOR STAR: A High Court here has ordered blogger Raja Petra Kamarudin, the group chief editor and editor of PKR’s organ Suara Keadilan to pay a total of RM7mil to Universiti Utara Malaysia and its vice-chancellor Tan Sri Dr Nordin Kardi for libel.
High Court deputy registrar Priscilla Gengadaran made the order yesterday following a judgment in default she handed down on Feb 26 after the three had failed to file their defence within the required period.
She ordered the damages to be paid to the plaintiffs for claiming that Dr Nordin was a plagiarist on the Malaysia Today website and in the 98th edition of Suara Keadilan in November 2006.
Nordin and UUM had filed a lawsuit against Raja Petra, PKR, Suara Keadilan group chief editor and the editor. Only PKR had submitted its defence.
Priscilla ordered Raja Petra to pay RM2mil to Dr Nordin and UUM respectively. She also ordered each of the editors to pay RM1mil and RM500,000 to Dr Nordin and UUM respectively.
Dr Nordin told a press conference yesterday that the judgment showed that there was room for the public to take action against bloggers who made slanderous remarks.
“Politicians and artistes who are the usual targets should take action to ensure bloggers do not make libellous statements,” he said.
Dr Nordin said that if the defendants paid up, he would use the money for the benefit of UUM. — The Star, 27 March 2008
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RPK refuses to accept court order
A court order ended up being left on the floor at the Magistrates Court at Jalan Duta Friday morning.
Lawyer Datuk Muhammad Shafee Abdullah had tried to serve the court order on Raja Petra Kamarudin, seeking him to remove three defamatory articles posted on Malaysia Today in August this year.
Raja Petra, however, refused to accept the court order, saying: “This is (a) court and it is contempt”.
Shafee then put the document on the floor.
The incident unfolded at 11.05am at the Criminal 1 courtroom, where Raja Petra was appearing over his criminal defamation case.
Later at the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court, Raja Petra refused to enter a plea to three counts of criminal defamation. — The Star, 15 August 2008
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Raja Petra again refuses to enter plea
Malaysia Today editor Raja Petra Kamarudin again refused to enter a plea after he was recharged with three counts of criminal defamation over his statutory declaration on the murder of Mongolian translator Altantuya Shaariibuu.
Raja Petra, 58, repeatedly told Sessions Court judge Mohamad Sekeri Mamat: “I refuse to enter a plea on grounds that the charges are mala fide.”
Upon being told by the judge that he had to enter a plea, Raja Petra said loudly after his case was transferred from a magistrate’s court to the Sessions Court yesterday:
“I refuse to respond to any plea. My plea remains the same.”
He is alleged to have defamed the Deputy Prime Minister’s wife Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor by making a libellous statement in the declaration, which he affirmed on June 18.
He also faces two similar charges against Kolonel Norhayati Hassan and her husband Acting Kolonel Abdul Aziz Buyong.
The news portal editor is said to have committed the offences at High Court (Civil 5) at the Jalan Duta court complex at 10.25am on June 18.
Lawyer Amarjit Singh told the judge that the defence team would be making a preliminary objection against the charges on the trial day on the grounds that they were defective.
Raja Petra’s bail of RM2,000 set by the magistrate was retained.
The court set two days from Nov 24 for a joint trial. — The Star, 16 August 2008
