‘Papagomo’ denies defaming IGP

(FMT) : Wan Azri Wan Deris, also known as Papagomo, has denied defaming Inspector-General of Police Razarudin Husain in a lawsuit brought against him last month.

The former Umno Youth leader said he is relying on the defences of justification and fair comment to defeat the suit.

In his defence statement filed last week, Azri said Razarudin, a public officer entrusted with national security and public order, must be subjected to public criticism.

“His reputation as a public servant is not protected under existing defamation laws or Article 10 of the Federal Constitution (which guarantees free speech).

“Consequently, Razarudin has no locus standi to bring the action,” the defence statement filed by his solicitors, Law Practice of Rafique, said.

Azri, who wants the suit dismissed with costs, also denied being responsible for publishing the defamatory statements on social media as he neither managed its accounts nor had control over them.

He also denied that his statements had lowered Razarudin’s reputation. He said they did not give the impression that Razarudin was corrupt or had abused his power against the public or Azri himself.

He also said his statements against Razarudin were in response to remarks Razaruddin had made to the print and online media without investigations, which had prejudiced Azri.

Azri denied that his statements were made with the malicious intention of lowering Razarudin’s esteem in the eyes of the public.

He said that as a public officer, Razarudin was expected to be accountable and transparent, and display good governance.

Razarudin filed the suit against Azri on Dec 26 over statements made in videos posted on YouTube and TikTok and shared across various other social media platforms.

Razarudin claims he was described in the videos in derogatory terms and falsely linked to Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.

He is seeking general, special, aggravated and exemplary damages and an injunction to prevent Azri from making or republishing such statements, either by himself or through persons associated with him.

Razarudin also wants Azri to apologise and withdraw his allegedly defamatory statements from all social media accounts as well as in the mass and online media, wherever they have been published.

Earlier this month, the High Court issued an interlocutory injunction in favour of Razarudin and ordered that Azri remove several allegedly defamatory postings about the IGP from social media pending the outcome of the suit.

Source : freemalaysiatoday