KUALA LUMPUR, May 22 (Bernama) -- The High Court here today ordered former
Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister''s Department Datuk Seri M. Kayveas to pay
RM170,000 to Credit Tip Off Sdn Bhd (CTOS) and three others for defamation.
Justice Rosilah Yop made the order after finding that the credit information
agency and the other three plaintiffs had succeeded in establishing their case
against Kayveas.
Kayveas was ordered to RM120,000 general damages and RM50,000 in exemplary
damages, at an interest of four per cent from June 25 to today, and subsequently
at eight per cent until settlement of the payment.
He was also ordered to pay cost to the plaintiffs.
Besides CTOS, also named as plaintiffs in the suit, filed in September 2007,
were CTOS Data Systems Sdn Bhd, CTOS-EMR Sendirian Berhad and CTOS Business
Systems Sdn Bhd.
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They filed the suit against Kayveas for making defamatory statements about
the companies which were reported in local newspapers between June 25, 2007 and
July 15, 2007.
In his defence, Kayveas said the statements were fair comment done in his
capacity as Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister''s Department then and for
public interest.
Rosilah, in her judgment, said Kayveas failed to prove his defence and that
he had caused the plaintiffs to suffer losses.
"With the dissemination of the defamatory words, the reputation and good
name of the plaintiffs'' businesses had been affected. There were clients who
terminated their service with the plaintiffs," she added.
She said Kayveas also continued to issue statements containing the
defamatory words despite a notice of claim having been served on him.
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COURT-CTOS 3 (LAST) KUALA LUMPUR
In granting the damages, Rosilah said she took into account the extent of
the damage to the plaintiffs'' reputation and the exemplary damages was granted
based on Kayveas position then as a Deputy Minister.
"As a deputy minister who was given the mandate by the people, he should not
issue defamatory statements without taking into account the embarrassment caused
to the plaintiffs," he added.
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ZMN HS MIS