A RM9.5 million civil defamation suit was filed today against The Sun daily over its controversial report on the alleged plot to assassinate Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad.
The suit was filed at the Shah Alam High Court this morning by lawyer Sankara Nair on behalf of Raja Kamaruddin Ab Wahid, also known as Raja Komando.
The front-page report, published in the English-language daily on Dec 25 last year, alleged that a person by the name of Raja Komando was the primary figure in a plot to kill Mahathir and his deputy, Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.
The suit sought damages from five parties RM5 million from the Sun Media Corporation, RM2 million from editor-in-chief Hng Hung Yong, RM1.5 million from editor Robert Ho and RM500,000 each from journalist R Manirajan and photographer Anita Mohd Nasir.
The alleged assassination plot report had angered Mahathir and this was immediately followed by the suspension of two of the dailys key editors as well as the Manirajan and Anita. The newspaper also published a front-page apology the day after the report was published.
No truth in allegations
Raja Kamaruddin, 53, who was present with Sankara at the court complex, told reporters that there was no truth to the report that he was the alleged assassin.
There has been tremendous pressure on me, my family and friends. Even my children have been coming home asking me why I had been reported as doing such a thing, he said.
Raja Kamaruddin, who is also the Shah Alam Keadilans deputy chief, said that there had never been any apologies forthcoming from The Sun .
They did not apologise and I have never been questioned by the police, added the former army commando.
Raja Kamaruddin first made headlines when he testified as a key defence witness in former deputy premier Anwar Ibrahims 1998 corruption trial.
He told the court that he had refused to participate in a conspiracy cooked up by politicians close to Mahathir to bring down Anwar.
Anwar has since been slapped with a six-year sentence for corruption and a further nine years for sodomy.
Raja Kamaruddins lawyer, Sankara, also told reporters that he would be waiting for the defendants to file their defence.
Free on Monday
Meanwhile The Sun , which is facing financial difficulties, announced in a full-page advertisement today that starting Monday, the newspaper will be available free from news-stands and 300 other locations.
It added that copies of the new-look Sun can also be obtained through deliveries from newspaper vendors.
In a letter sent to newspaper vendors, it said readers would be charged 30 sen for daily delivery to their homes. There is, however, no Sunday edition.
The April 2 letter signed by the dailys managing director Phillip Karuppiah added that current subscribers would also receive a refund.
The statement quoted that The Sun s new format was based on a new business model and will be redesigned with a more contemporary style .
It will be distributed to targeted readers in the key market centres via designated distribution points mainly in office complexes, Karuppiah said.
7-Eleven stores, food and beverage outlets, colleges and stockbroking companies have been listed as places where copies of the new Sun can be obtained.
Karuppiah could not be contacted for further comments.
