After almost ten years, the Ipoh High Court today decided to give a consent judgment between a contractor, Khairul Anuar Mokhtar and the New Straits Times Press (M) Bhd.

Khairul Anuar, a former journalist from Berita Harian, also received RM45,000 following an out-of-court settlement in the defamation suit.

Besides NSTP, he also named then-journalist Azmi M Anshar, Sharanjit Singh and the editor of the New Sunday Times , as defendants.

This defamation suit followed an error in a photo caption that had appeared in the publication, which had depicted Khairul Anuar as an alleged member of the Al Ma'unah cult, when he was not.

The photo and caption of him had appeared in the New Sunday Times on Jul 9, 2000.

Judicial Commissioner Ridwan Ibrahim made the order today.

As part of the settlement, the newspaper would also be required to issue an apology and retraction on the matter. The court did not, however, make order as to costs.

Khairul Anuar, had initially demanded RM632,000 as exemplary and aggravated damages.

The businessman was represented by counsel Faizal Kamaruddin, while the NST and others were represented by lawyer Yau Her Lerk.