The on-going dispute between publisher and book distributor Dawama Sdn Bhd and Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka (DBP) has reached the courts.

This follows a defamation suit filed by Dawama, the distributor of DBP books, against the DBP and its director-general yesterday.

The law firm of Shearn Delamore & Co filed the suit at the Kuala Lumpur High Court registry.

The publisher is seeking an unstipulated amount of general and aggravated damages as well as a public apology from the DBP.

Dawama claims the DBP director-general had uttered defamatory comments about the company on a radio programme called ' Kerusi Panas ' broadcast by Radio Bernama (Radio 24) on April 21, 2011.

Reputation wounded claim

The DBP, the publisher claimed, had injured its reputation with the comments suggesting that the company was mismanaged and had not observed its obligations under the concession agreement signed in 2002.

NONE The deal was sealed between the two parties in 2002 in the wake of a government decision to privatise its pre-press, editing, distribution and marketing departments.

The company also alleges in its statement of claim that the DBP director-general had also uttered more defamatory comments against the publisher carried by Bernama's website in June 2011 as well as in Berita Harian , the following month.

It is learnt the defendants have appointed Muhammad Shafee Abdullah to represent them.

The defendants have 14 days from the last date to enter an appearance to file their defence to the Dawama action and case management has been fixed for Nov 16.