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Kok sues Azwanddin for linking her to Seafield temple riots
Published:  Jan 8, 2019 7:35 PM
Updated: 12:45 PM

Primary Industries Minister Teresa Kok has filed a defamation suit against Jaringan Melayu Malaysia (JMM) president Azwanddin Hamzah for linking her to the riots that took place near Seafield Sri Maha Mariamman in Subang Jaya last November.

Kok's lawyer Sankara Nair said the suit was filed online at 6pm today in his client's personal capacity.

According to the statement of claim distributed to the press, Azwanddin was named as the first and second defendants in both his personal capacity and as JMM president.

"(At) on or about Dec 25, 2018, at an assembly held at Dataran Seri, Klang, Selangor, the first defendant and/or the second defendant made and published a speech...

"After which the defendants published and/or republished and/or caused the publication and/or caused the republication of the said impugned speech on the Internet and in print media both locally and internationally," read the statement.

According to the statement, Azwanddin had defamed Kok by calling for authorities to investigate her alleged links to the riots.

Aside from the media reports, it was stated that he uploaded a full video of the speech onto his Facebook page.

Kok is seeking general, compensatory, aggravated and exemplary damages, on top of an injunction to prevent further distribution of the speech.

On Dec 26 last year, she gave Azwanddin seven days to retract the allegation and apologise, or pay RM30 million in compensation, failing which he would be sued.

The minister had previously denied rumours on social media that she was linked to the developer which owns the land occupied by the USJ temple.

The developer, One City Development Sdn Bhd, had denied hiring thugs to secure the land, which triggered two nights of rioting.

One City Development is owned by Bursa Malaysia-listed MCT Bhd.

MCT Bhd is in turn majority-owned by the Philippines-based Ayala Corporation.

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