The High Court in Temerloh today quashed the defamation suit filed by eight Felda settlers against Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak arising from his speech when announcing the ‘windfall’ at Felda Jengka 8, Bandar Jengka, Pahang, on May 8.  

Judge Akhtar Tahir made the decision in his chambers after allowing Najib’s application to dismiss the suit.

Counsel Mohd Hafarizam Harun told the media that after reading the whole speech of the prime minister, the judge decided that the speech was not defamatory in nature.

NONE Mohd Hafarizam ( left ) said the court also decided that the speech was a ‘figure of speech’ that did not refer to any group in particular.

“As such, the court dismissed the plaintiff’s (Felda settlers) suit and allowed the defendant’s (Najib) application. The court ordered the plaintiffs to pay RM3,000 each to the defendant,” he said.

On Aug 7, seven male and one female settlers from Felda Wilayah Jengka, Bandar Jengka, sued Najib through the law office of Mohd Harris pertaining to his speech which was alleged to have shamed and insulted them.  

The settlers were Samat L Yusof, Alias Ibrahim, Idris Mat Sah, Syed Jamaluddin Syed Muhamed, Abdul Rahim Abdul Rahman, Rosdi Ismail, Abdullah Mohd and Rakiah Sulong.

They claimed that the speech delivered in front of about 40,000 people, among others gave the meaning that they were traitors, lacked integrity, insincere and disloyal in their struggles.

They said that the speech had also been published in the mass media and thus demanded general, special and aggravated damages with interests and costs.

The prime minister had on Sept 24 filed an application to dismiss the suit through Messrs Hafarizam Wan & Aisha on grounds that it was an abuse of court process as the plaintiffs had no cause of action against the defendant, besides not referring and/or having any connection to the defendant.

He also said that the suit was ignominous, petty or troublesome and the failure of the plaintiffs to state the case against the defendant was also fatal and made the suit quashable in limine.

Counsel Mohd Harris Abdullah, representing the Felda settlers, told the media that he would discuss with his clients whether to file an appeal against the verdict today.

Meanwhile outside the court, more than 600 settlers of Wilayah Jengka Felda who supported the prime minister had gathered from 8am carrying banners showing support for Najib.

- Bernama