KUALA LUMPUR, May 23 — The High Court has today dismissed former attorney-general (AG) Tan Sri Mohamed Apandi Ali’s defamation suit against veteran DAP lawmaker Lim Kit Siang over an article on the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) scandal published in 2019.

High Court Judge Datuk Azimah Omar found the Iskandar Puteri MP not liable for defamation in the article titled, “Dangerous fallacy to think Malaysia is on the road to integrity”, in which Lim implied Mohamed Apandi was “involved in a crime”.

“This court dismissed the plaintiff’s claim against the defendant with cost,” Azimah said in her decision.

The court also ordered Mohamed Apandi to pay RM80,000 in cost to Lim.

Kit Siang reprimanded for absence

Before the decision was delivered, Azimah had earlier reprimanded Lim’s lawyers for failing to ensure their client turned up for today’s civil suit hearing.

Voicing her disapproval over Lim’s absence, Azimah insisted that due respect should be given to the court.

“Where is the defendant? Did he know today was for decision? Has he filed to this court he was to be absent for whatever reasons?” Azimah asked.

To that end, Lim’s lawyer Sangeet Kaur Deo said her client was indeed aware of the matter and his legal team was present on his behalf.

However, Azimah still insisted that Lim should have been in court for the decision, while refusing to deliver her grounds of judgment until Lim showed up.

Sangeet then requested the court to allow her client to be present for the hearing through video-conferencing as an alternative, while apologising profusely to the court for the shortcomings.

“Due respect has to be given to the court. The court has notified him (Lim) of the date of decision. You cannot take this kind of situation lightly. That’s not it.

“No, no, I’m not going to deliver my decision. I’m ready with my decision; in fact, I am ready with my 100 pages of grounds of judgment. I insist he be here.

“He is a parliamentary man. He should have known the law. As a defendant, he should have some respect for this court. I want him to be here personally. I’m not happy about it,” Azimah said.

On July 5, 2019, Mohamed Apandi sued Lim, claiming that on May 6, 2019, Lim had written and caused to be published an article titled “Dangerous fallacy to think Malaysia’s on the road to integrity” in Malaysiakini.

He claimed that the alleged libellous words in the article implied that he was involved in crime and had abetted in the 1MDB financial scandal, was a person with no morals and integrity, was unethical and had abused his power when he was the AG.

Mohamed Apandi, who was the AG from July 27, 2015 to June 4, 2018, contended that the libellous words were untrue and written with the intention of tarnishing his image and credibility as a former Malaysian AG for cheap publicity.

He is seeking aggravated and exemplary damages, as well as RM10 million in general damages, an injunction to prevent Lim and/or his agents from publishing the alleged defamatory words again and other relief deemed fit by the court.

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