By Shazwan Mustafa Kamal
KUALA LUMPUR, May 30 — The Sessions Court today dismissed former student Mandeep Singh’s defamation suit against the National Higher Education Fund Corporation (PTPTN), saying there was “insufficient evidence” to support his claims.
Mandeep, a former Universiti Selangor (Unisel) student, previously sued PTPTN authorities for allegedly barring him from exiting the country on July 6 last year as well as publicly shaming him.
The plaintiff, who was previously blacklisted for not repaying his student loan, maintained that PTPTN had failed to remove his name from the list after he repaid the arrears amounting to RM2,303 in June last year.
Mandeep asserted that the PTPTN acted in bad faith by not removing him from the Immigration Department blacklist, and that this had damaged his reputation in the process.
He had sought RM19,000 in special damages for the flight ticket and hotel booking as well as other interest, costs and other relief deemed fit by the court.
But Sessions Court judge Unaizah Mohd today said that she found no basis for Mandeep’s case.
“Based on the witness accounts and documents provided, I find that the plaintiff failed to prove that he was unlawfully detained.
“He also failed to prove that (PTPTN) acted in bad faith against him and he failed to prove that he had lost his freedom (of movement),” she said.
“I will take this to a higher court, we will appeal today’s decision,” Mandeep told The Malaysian Insider.
He was represented by Abdul Malik Hakim.