Taiping MP settles case over PM, wife’s photo on FB

najib_rosmah_Nga-Kor-Ming_600 KUALA LUMPUR: Taiping Member of Parliament Nga Kor Ming today expressed his deepest regret over a photograph of Prime Minister Najib Razak and wife Rosmah Mansor featuring some Cabinet ministers in China, posted on his Facebook page in March last year.

Nga, in his statement for the purpose of recording a consent judgment read out by his counsel Alex Tan Chie Sian at the High Court, said as a matter of goodwill, he would withdraw the comments attributed to the said picture and undertake not to publish the same in the future.

“I have been made to understand that the picture referred to therein was taken in China when the prime minister was making arrangements to return to Malaysia upon learning about the demise of the Sultan of Perak, Sultan Azlan Shah, and as such I express my deepest regret that the picture had been misconstrued and taken out of context,” he said.

Therefore, the defamation suit filed by the couple against Nga over the picture posted by the MP on his Facebook page was settled after both parties entered into a consent judgment.

Najib and Rosmah’s counsel, Mohd Hafarizam Harun, said in view of Nga’s statement, his clients had agreed to enter into a consent judgment which was recorded by judge Siti Khadijah S Hassan Badjenid.

Mohd Hafarizam also informed the court that in view of the sincerity in expressing his regret, willingness to withdraw the comments and undertaking not to publish the same in future, the plaintiffs (Najib and Rosmah) accepted the statement by the defendant.

He said his clients had instructed Nga to upload his statement read out in court today, on his Facebook account and Facebook Page within seven days from today. The consent judgment shall be deemed to be the full and final settlement of all causes of action, claims, demands, costs and the matter is resolved with no order as to costs.

On June 11, last year, Najib, in his personal capacity, and Rosmah filed the lawsuit against Nga alleging that the defendant had on March 29, 2015 uploaded a photograph of them with some Cabinet ministers and Wisma Putra senior officials on his Facebook account, which was allegedly accompanied by disparaging remarks.

The plaintiffs claimed that Nga’s postings could be accessed freely by Internet users worldwide and had slandered them.

Najib claimed that Nga’s remarks meant, among others, that he had abused his power and mandate as the prime minister for his own or wife’s interests.

Rosmah claimed that the defendant’s remarks implied that she was a selfish person for having allegedly influenced her husband as the prime minister to misuse his power and for allegedly meddling in the country’s administrative system.

Later, Mohd Hafarizam, in a press statement to the media, said his clients’ action against the defendant was for the purpose of his clients’ equanimity and vindication and not a contemptuous attempt to put the defendant in a repulsive situation.

– BERNAMA