The Terengganu government today filed a defamation suit against Batu Buruk assemblyperson Dr Syed Azman Syed Ahmad Nawawi and three others over an article published in PAS’ organ Harakah .

The suit, in which the Terengganu government, Terengganu Menteri Besar Ahmad Said and two others were named as plaintiffs, was filed through the legal firm of Messrs Hisham, Sobri and Kadir at the High Court registry in Kuala Lumpur.

Also named as plaintiffs are Mek Hawa Abdul Rahman and Hamie Azreen Ami Nordin, who were given the contracts for the supply of school uniforms and stationery.

Besides Dr Syed Azman, the three other defendants named in the suit are Harakah ’s permit owner, Mustafa Ali; its chief editor Ahmad Lutfi Othman and printer, Angkatan Edaran Enterprise Sdn Bhd.

In their statement of claim, the plaintiffs stated that Syed Azman had defamed them through an article with the title ‘ Seleweng RM30 juta Bantuan Sekolah? ’ (Embezzlement of RM30 million in School Aid?) which was published in Harakah ’s Nov 11 to 13 (2011) issue.

They claimed that the defendants had maliciously printed and published the article, which they (plaintiffs) understood referred to them.

The plaintiffs also claimed that the article gave a meaning that the state government and the menteri besar were not transparent in giving out contracts  under the state’s school aid programme.

They are seeking general, special, aggravated and exemplary damages, costs and an injunction to prevent the defendants from continuing to publish the alleged defamatory article.

- Bernama

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