A settlement was reached today in the defamation suit over the Tabung Budi programme brought by Syarikat Bekalan Air Selangor Sdn Bhd (Syabas) against Selangor Menteri Besar Abdul Khalid Ibrahim.

High Court judge Amelia Tee Hong Geok Abdullah recorded the terms of settlement by the parties in chambers.

Counsel Firdaus Husni, who represented Abdul Khalid, told reporters that the parties had achieved an agreement upon terms which are confidential.

"The plaintiff (Syabas) withdrew the action. Today, the parties achieved an agreement upon terms which are confidential," she said.

Counsel S Ravindran, who acted for Syabas, said there were discussion between the parties over the settlement on Monday, when the suit was heard before Justice Amelia.

“The suit no longer continues, the matter is resolved,” he said. However, he declined to reveal the terms of settlement, saying it was confidential.

Another counsel, Cheng Chang Chai, said the plaintiff’s four witnesses had testified during the trial, which started on Nov 24, while the defence had yet to start its case.

Syabas filed the suit against Khalid in January this year, claiming that he had uttered defamatory words against the company at a press conference on Nov 22, last year, regarding its Tabung Budi programme.

In its statement of claim, Syabas said the defamatory words were published in an article titled ‘Withdraw Syabas Licence - Khalid’, which was published by Bernama on the same day, and Harian Metro on Nov 23.

Syabas said that Khalid’s statement could be understood to mean that Syabas had cheated the public with its Tabung Budi programme. The water concessionaire was seeking damages, costs, and other relief deemed fit by the court.

Khalid in his statement of defence, countered that Syabas had no locus standi to file the defamation suit as it performed a public function, and that he was not responsible for the said press reports which were published by third parties.

- Bernama