Malaysia Case Law: Decisions & Judgments

Topic

Malicious falsehood

Legal area

Court

8 Feb 2024

LEOW HSIAD HUI RAVI A/L MUNIANDY

Citation

BA-23NCvC-39-09/2021 (Mahkamah Tinggi)
Court

High Court
Case number

BA-23NCvC-39-09/2021 (Mahkamah Tinggi)

On the balance of probabilities the Plaintiff failed to prove the post carried defamatory imputations referring to her. The post, read in context and by a reasonable person, posed public interest questions about misapplied school funds relating to another PKR member; it did not impute theft or breach of trust to the Plaintiff. Plaintiff also failed to prove malicious falsehood or reputational injury. Accordingly the claim is dismissed and costs awarded to the Defendant.
17 Jan 2023

IMIKA EMPIRE SDN BHD 1. ) ROSMAWATI BINTI MAHAMASAMSUDING 2. ) NURFATHIRAH YUSRINA BINTI MOHD YUSOF

Citation

AA-A53F-7-10/2021 (Mahkamah Sesyen)
Court

Sessions Court
Case number

AA-A53F-7-10/2021 (Mahkamah Sesyen)

The court allowed the plaintiff's claim in the Sessions Court and awarded RM20,000 general damages; it held that the defendants' prompt deletion of the defamatory material and publication of an apology substantially mitigated the quantum and that the defendants were not liable for aggravated damages.
9 Mar 2022

LAU KOK LOON @ LAU SAY SIOK 1. ) LOW YEE MING 2. ) AHMAD GULAM BIN AB GHAFAR 3. ) EIZWA BINTI SALLEH 4. ) HANIF BIN HASHIM 5. ) KENNETH GODFREY GOMES 6. ) TETUAN SABARUDIN OTHMAN & HO 7. ) ORANG YANG TIDAK DIKENALI 8. ) PENTADBIR TANAH DAER

Citation

WA-22NCvC-80-02/2021 (Mahkamah Tinggi)
Court

High Court
Case number

WA-22NCvC-80-02/2021 (Mahkamah Tinggi)

The striking out application was dismissed because the statement of claim, read as a whole, discloses triable issues of conspiracy, fraud and malicious falsehood that are not plain and obviously unsustainable; the pleadings raise sufficient particulars and circumstantial links to require viva voce evidence and a full trial to resolve conflicts of fact and issues of credibility, and any deficiencies can be remedied by amendment rather than summary dismissal.
8 Nov 2021

DATO' HAJI MAHFUZ BIN HAJI OMAR MUHAMMAD SANUSI BIN MD NOR

Citation

WA-23CY-58-10/2019 (Mahkamah Tinggi)
Court

High Court
Case number

WA-23CY-58-10/2019 (Mahkamah Tinggi)

The court found the Facebook posting defamatory and referring to the plaintiff; the defendant failed to prove justification, fair comment or Reynolds/qualified privilege because he did not verify facts or show responsible journalism; publication was reckless/malicious so malicious falsehood established; plaintiff entitled to RM50,000 general damages, injunction, apology, interest and costs.
2 Jul 2021

MKINI DOT COM & 3 ORS RAUB AUSTRALIAN GOLD MINING SDN BHD

Citation

02(f)-61-08/2018(W) (Mahkamah Persekutuan)
Court

f
Case number

02(f)-61-08/2018(W) (Mahkamah Persekutuan)

Reportage is part of the Reynolds/qualified privilege family and need not be pleaded as a separate sui generis defence; the High Court correctly found the publications related to matters of public interest and that appellants either carried out responsible journalism or neutrally reported press conferences (reportage); Court of Appeal erred in imposing rigid pleading and independent‑expert verification requirements and in finding adoption/embellishment; therefore appeal is allowed, Court of Appeal orders set aside and High Court judgment restored.
31 Mar 2021

1. Sakhti Devi a/p Muniandy@Segaran [NRIC No.: 810407-14-5952] 2. Letchumy a/p Subramaniam [NRIC No.: 791103-10-5950] 1. Mehar Banu binti Pakeer Mohammad [NRIC No.: 690116-10-5914] 2. Pejabat Pendidikan Daerah Kuala Selangor 3. Kementerian

Citation

21NCVC-21-04/2020 (Mahkamah Tinggi)
Court

High Court
Case number

21NCVC-21-04/2020 (Mahkamah Tinggi)

The wrongful dismissal claim was purely public law and therefore had to be pursued by judicial review under Order 53; commencing that claim by writ was an abuse of process and the court struck out the wrongful dismissal claim, while permitting the plaintiffs' defamation and malicious falsehood claims to proceed.
30 Sept 2020

REKHA D/O MUNISAMY (I/C NO: 781128-10-5210) 1. ORTUS EXPERT WHITE SDN BHD (COMPANY NO :951378-H) 2. GURDEV SINGH S/O JAGJIT SINGH (NO K/P: 870630-56-5495)

Citation

W-02(NCvC)(W)-1257-07/2019 (Mahkamah Rayuan)
Court

NCvC
Case number

W-02(NCvC)(W)-1257-07/2019 (Mahkamah Rayuan)

The Court held the High Court was not functus officio because the striking out order had not been perfected and therefore could be revisited; the Plaintiffs proved libel but failed to prove malicious falsehood for lack of malice and special damage; the High Court erred in unfairly preventing the Defendant from calling witnesses (discretion under O.34 should have been exercised consistently and not to the Defendant's prejudice); the Plaintiffs failed to translate the alleged defamatory statements into Bahasa Melayu as required for pleadings; and, in the interests of justice a retrial of the Pl…

Malaysia Case Law

LEOW HSIAD HUI RAVI A/L MUNIANDY

IMIKA EMPIRE SDN BHD 1. ) ROSMAWATI BINTI MAHAMASAMSUDING 2. ) NURFATHIRAH YUSRINA BINTI MOHD YUSOF

LAU KOK LOON @ LAU SAY SIOK 1. ) LOW YEE MING 2. ) AHMAD GULAM BIN AB GHAFAR 3. ) EIZWA BINTI SALLEH 4. ) HANIF BIN HASHIM 5. ) KENNETH GODFREY GOMES 6. ) TETUAN SABARUDIN OTHMAN & HO 7. ) ORANG YANG TIDAK DIKENALI 8. ) PENTADBIR TANAH DAER

DATO' HAJI MAHFUZ BIN HAJI OMAR MUHAMMAD SANUSI BIN MD NOR

MKINI DOT COM & 3 ORS RAUB AUSTRALIAN GOLD MINING SDN BHD

1. Sakhti Devi a/p Muniandy@Segaran [NRIC No.: 810407-14-5952] 2. Letchumy a/p Subramaniam [NRIC No.: 791103-10-5950] 1. Mehar Banu binti Pakeer Mohammad [NRIC No.: 690116-10-5914] 2. Pejabat Pendidikan Daerah Kuala Selangor 3. Kementerian

REKHA D/O MUNISAMY (I/C NO: 781128-10-5210) 1. ORTUS EXPERT WHITE SDN BHD (COMPANY NO :951378-H) 2. GURDEV SINGH S/O JAGJIT SINGH (NO K/P: 870630-56-5495)