The Court of Appeal in Putrajaya today dismissed an appeal brought by former senator Muhammad Abdul Ghani against the New Straits Times Press (Malaysia) Bhd (NSTP) and an editor for defamation 10 years ago.

A three-member panel led by Ramly Ali said the High Court was right in coming to its decision.

“We’re not with the appellant (Muhammad) and the decision of the High Court is affirmed,” he said.

The court made the ruling without hearing submissions from lawyer Nad Segaram representing newspaper publisher NSTP and Berita Harian editor Ahmad Rejal Arbee.

Ramly, who presided over the panel with Justices Mohtarudin Baki and David Wong Dak Wah, also ordered Muhammad to pay RM10,000 in legal costs to the respondents.

Muhammad, who is an elected president of the Ex-Services Association of Malaysia, had sued NSTP and Ahmad Rejal over an article published in Berita Minggu dated April 27, 2003 entitled ‘Leader of Ex-Services Association of Malaysia under investigation by ACA for abuse of power’, which was edited by Ahmad Rejal.

In his statement of claim, he said the ordinary meaning of the article published imputed that he was dishonest, immoral, untrustworthy, deceitful and corrupt.

He said the article gave the impression to readers that he was unfit to hold public office.

Muhammad, who was represented by lawyers Hassanudin Putih and Shamsul Bahrain, had sought unspecified amount of damages.

High Court judge Noor Azian Shaari had on Oct 15, 2010 dismissed Muhammad’s suit.

- Bernama