Court orders blogger Papa Gomo to pay RM500,000 damages in defamation suit

(The Malaysian Insider) – Pro-Umno blogger Papa Gomo has to pay a businessman RM500,000 in damages over a defamation suit, the Kuala Lumpur High Court ruled today.

The ruling was made after the court identified Papa Gomo as Wan Muhammad Azri Wan Deris (pic).

Businessman Abdul Razak Mohd Noor filed a RM10 million defamation suit against Papa Gomo, claiming that the blogger had implied he was a liar who earned millions of ringgit from the 1998 Commonwealth Games held in Kuala Lumpur.

In his ruling today, Judicial Commissioner Vazeer Alam Mydin Meera ordered Papa Gomo to pay RM200,000 in general damages and RM300,000 in exemplary damages.

He also granted an injunction to stop Papa Gomo from further defaming Abdul Razak.

Vazeer also ordered Papa Gomo to pay the businessman RM50,000 in costs.

In his judgment, Vazeer said Papa Gomo was not remorseful of his actions and this was reflected in his conduct when he testified in the defamation trial.

He said he hoped the award would serve as a lesson to bloggers who uploaded defamatory articles in anonymity.