The Court of Appeal in Putrajaya today reinstated Pasir Mas MP Ibrahim Ali’s RM2 million defamation suit against PKR secretary-general Saifuddin Nasution Ismail.

A three-member panel led by Justice Abu Samah Nordin unanimously allowed Ibrahim Ali’s appeal and set aside the decision of a Kuala Lumpur High Court which had struck out his civil suit.

The other two judges on the panel were Court of Appeal judge Mohtaruddin Baki and High Court judge David Wong Dak Wah.

Following this decision, the case will be remitted to the High Court for trial.

The panel also ordered Saifuddin to pay RM15,000 in legal costs to Ibrahim for the proceedings at the Court of Appeal and High Court.

In his suit filed on June 2, 2010, Ibrahim claimed that Saifuddin had falsely and maliciously published defamatory remarks in the April 27 to May 4 edition of the Suara Keadilan newspaper alleging his (Ibrahim) involvement in a business tycoon’s gaming business.

The president of Pertubuhan Pribumi Perkasa Malaysia (Perkasa) was seeking RM2 million in general damages and an injunction to stop Saifuddin, who is also Machang MP, or his agents from further repeating the defamatory remarks against him.

On Sept 7, last year, the High Court allowed Saifuddin’s application to strike out the civil suit.

- Bernama