The Court of Appeal in Putrajaya yesterday reduced the  quantum of damages from RM300,000 to RM200,000 that Shah Alam member of Parliament Khalid Abdul Samad has to pay Jalur Tiga Malaysia (Jati) president Hasan Mohamed Ali over a defamatory statement.

A three-member panel led by Justice Alizatul Khair Osman Khairuddin dismissed Khalid’s appeal on liability and on the High Court’s decision to order him to pay Hasan RM200,000 in general damages.

She, however, allowed Khalid’s appeal to set aside the High Court’s decision to order him to pay RM100,000 in aggravated damages to Hasan.

Khalid was also ordered to pay RM5,000 in legal costs to Hasan.

Justices Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat and Abang Iskandar Abang Hashim presided on the panel with Justice Alizatul.

The High Court had on Oct 31, 2013 allowed Hasan’s ( photo ) defamation suit, ruling that he had succeeded in proving that Khalid’s statement was made with malice.

On Nov 27, 2013, the High Court, in the proceeding for assessment of damages on the matter, ordered Khalid to pay Hasan RM200,000 in general damages and RM100,000 in aggravated damages.

Hasan, who is also former Selangor PAS commissioner and state executive councillor, sued Khalid, alleging that he had uttered defamatory words against him at a press conference on Feb 24, 2012.

He claimed that Khalid had further published the words in an article on his blog and that the reporters at the press conference had posted it on the news portals mstar and Malaysiakini .

Khalid was represented by lawyer Mohamed Hanipa Maidin and Hasan by lawyer Hasnal Rezua Merican.

- Bernama