Nurul Izzah gets RM850k from defamation suit against Ismail Sabri, ex-IGP

Permatang Pauh MP Nurul Izzah Anwar will receive RM850,000 in damages in her lawsuit over defamatory statements that linked her with self-styled Sulu princess Jacel Kiram.

Her lawyer Ranjit Singh informed the Court of Appeal three-man bench today that his client and former rural and regional development minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob have reached a settlement.

He said all parties in the lawsuit have agreed for Ismail's appeal against liability to be dismissed and also for him (Ismail) to pay a reduced quantum of damages to Nurul from RM600,000 to RM450,000.

Ranjit Singh said Ismail would also tender a private apology to Nurul.

Lawyer Ragunath Kesevan appearing for Ismail confirmed the settlement.

Meanwhile, former inspector-general of police Khalid Abu Bakar (photo) would have to pay RM400,000 in damages to Nurul after his appeal was dismissed by the court with RM15,000 costs.

The bench comprising Justices Hamid Sultan Abu Backer, Kamaludin Md Said and Mohamad Zabidin Mohd Diah proceeded to hear Khalid's appeal after the ex-IGP could not settle the matter with Nurul on the quantum of damages.

Justice Hamid Sultan said the court was of the view that there was a liability.

Ranjit earlier told the court that Khalid could not agree to his client's proposal to reduce the quantum of damages to RM300,000.

Senior federal counsel Zureen Elina Mohd Dom, who represented Khalid, cited case authorities to support her submission that the quantum of damages should be lesser than the proposed amount.

On April 18 last year, the High Court ordered Ismail and Khalid to pay RM600,000 and RM400,000 in damages respectively to Nurul after ruling that the statements made by them in two separate press conferences had in its natural and ordinary meaning defamed Nurul after the appearance of a photograph showing her with the self-styled Sulu princess.

Nurul sued the duo alleging that they had portrayed her as a traitor to the country and the mastermind in the Lahad Datu intrusion in Sabah in 2013.

Nurul attended the court proceedings while her father Anwar Ibrahim was present briefly in the court.

- Bernama