The George Town High Court today ordered Utusan Malaysia (M) Bhd to pay RM30,000 in damages to former Penang chief minister Lim Guan Eng over the publication of an article in 2015.

Counsel N Mureli, representing Lim, told Bernama that High Court judge Rosilah Yop also ordered Utusan to pay RM20,000 costs to Lim.

Lim filed the defamation suit against Utusan and its feature and analysis editor Zulkilfi Jalil over the article Pengundi Atas Pagar Jadi Penentu? (Fence-sitter voters to be the deciders?) published on April 10, 2015.

The article alleged that Lim had full powers over wakaf land and how it could be developed.

The analysis piece was written by Zulkifli and was published in Utusan’s print version and on its website.

On Sept 27, Zuilkifli apologised to Lim in court as part of the consent judgment.

- Bernama