The High Court in Kuala Lumpur today ordered New Straits Times Press (M) Bhd to pay PAS vice-president Husam Musa a total of RM350,000 in exemplary, aggravated and general damages.

The order came from Justice Su Geok Yiam who ordered the daily to pay the amount in her assessment of damages after finding that New Straits Times had committed libel against Husam ( left ) several months ago.

“In addition to this, NST is also ordered to pay RM10,000 in costs,” Justice Su ruled.

The award in damages was affirmed by Husam and his lawyer Md Yunus Shariff.

This award comes after two Kelantan Umno assemblypersons, Nozula Md Diah (Paloh) and Muhd Adhan Kechik (Bukit Bunga) filed a report with the then Anti Corruption Agency in 2008, claiming nine cases of mismanagement, corruption and abuse of power by individuals in the PAS-led government and directly linked this to Husam.

And then they apologised

They claimed Husam - who then headed the Kelantan Public Administration, Finance, Economic Planning and Community Development Committee - had taken money for a certain contract and had protected his ‘cronies’ within state body, Air Kelantan, despite alleged mismanagement therein.

This resulted in the New Straits Times and sister newspaper Berita Harian carrying the report the next day.

Subsequently, Husam filed a RM6 million defamation suit against Nozula, Muhd Adhan and NST in January 2008, claiming the allegations as slanderous.

Nozula and Muhd Adhan apologised to Husam in 2009, and their apologies were carried in several newspapers.

Nozula deeply and unconditionally apologised to Husam over the "false and baseless report".

"Following this, I withdraw all the allegations and express regret that (the allegations) had resulted in pressuring Husam and his family and may have tarnished his personal character," he said.

The NST was represented by Rishwant Singh.