Wan Ahmad seeks RM200,000 in damages in libel suit against Mat Sabu and four others

(Bernama) — Election Commission (EC) deputy chairman Datuk Wan Ahmad Wan Omar is asking for at least RM200,000 in damages in his libel suit against PAS deputy president Mohamad Sabu and four others over the issuance of the blue identity cards in Sabah.

His lawyer, Datuk Mohd Hafarizam Harun, said his client requested for the amount because the allegation in the suit concerned his (Wan Ahmad) image, integrity and reputation.

“We asked for the amount of damages to be not less than RM200,000 to serve as an example for others,” Mohd Hafarizam told reporters when met after the case came up for mention before High Court judge Lee Heng Cheong in chambers today.

The case was fixed for decision today.

However, Mohd Hafarizam said the court requested both parties to submit on the damages and cost before it gave its decision on the matter.

Following which, he said, the court postponed to March 20 for decision.

On March 5 last year, Wan Ahmad sued Mohamad Sabu for allegedly making defamatory statements in the Friday edition of the Harakah newspaper dated Feb 1-3 2013 after an interview with him on Jan 29 2013.

Wan Ahmad named PAS secretary-general Datuk Mustafa Ali, Harakah’s publisher Angkatan Edaran Enterprise Sdn Bhd, its chief-editor Ahmad Lutfi Othman and writer of the article Aziz Muda, as the other defendants.

In his statement of claim, Wan Ahmad claimed that the defendants had made defamatory statements implying that he could not be trusted for purportedly being involved in the issuance of blue identity cards under the ‘IC Project’ in Sabah.