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The Court of Appeal has ordered former inspector-general of police (IGP) Tan Sri Musa Hassan to pay RM250,000 in damages to Hannah Yeoh over defamatory remarks he made in January 2020
According to FMT, the court ruled in favour of the Federal Territories Minister today, 13 January, with Justice Azimah Omar saying the High Court had erred in dismissing Yeoh's suit in 2024.
Azimah said Musa's remarks, made during a forum at Universiti Teknologi Mara six years ago, were defamatory towards Yeoh and had subjected her to ridicule within the Muslim community.
He had claimed that an unnamed group with links to DAP was attempting to undermine Islam, reported Malaysiakini.
Musa also alleged that Yeoh authored a book with the aim of turning Malaysia into a Christian nation.
Yeoh at the Court of Appeal in Putrajaya today, 13 January.
Image via Aizuddin Saad /Harian MetroWhile reading the judgment, Azimah also said the High Court had erred in concluding that the "low viewership" of Musa's remarks, which were livestreamed on Facebook, did not amount to defamation
"It is still (a form of) publication, even if it was heard by one person.
"We fail to understand how the judicial commissioner justified the scale of coverage (to dismiss Yeoh's lawsuit). This sets a dangerous precedent," FMT quoted Azimah as saying.
She also noted that the forum was attended by students and university employees.
The appellate court said that the High Court had failed to properly consider Musa's defences of justification, qualified privilege, and fair comment.
"The defendant (Musa) presented no evidence to support the claim of 'Christianisation' and relied on a witness whose testimony was hearsay," Azimah said.
She added that there was no proof that Yeoh had used her book, Becoming Hannah: A Personal Journey, to promote her religion or to undermine Islam.
After the proceedings, Yeoh expressed gratitude over the outcome, saying she had endured the impact of Musa's defamatory remarks for the past six years.
