Ex-Bar chief awarded RM350,000 in defamation suit against former MP, Utusan

Prominent lawyer Manjeet Singh Dhillon was today awarded RM350,000 in damages after the Kuala Lumpur High Court found former Padang Serai MP N. Gobalakrishnan, a Malay daily publisher and its reporter liable for defamation. However, Judge Datuk Nor Bee Ariffin dismissed Manjeet's claim against Sistem Televisyen Malaysia Berhad (TV3). She said the lawyer, a former Malaysian Bar president, failed to prove his case against TV3 on the balance of probability. The judge ordered Gobalakrishnan to pay Manjeet RM150,000 in damages and RM50,000 in costs. Meanwhile, Utusan Melayu (M) Berhad and Utusan Malaysia journalist Raja Syahrir Abu Bakar was ordered to pay RM200,000 and a further RM50,000 in costs. The judge ordered Manjeet to pay TV3 RM50,000 in costs. Manjeet, represented by Americk Sidhu, filed the RM2.5 million suit four years ago. He said Gobalakrishnan gave an interview to the media on August 16, 2011 in which he falsely made derogatory remarks against him and that Raja Syahrir had prepared a report of the interview that was subsequently published by Utusan Malaysia under the headline “Manjeet selalu burukkan kerajaan” (Manjeet always disparages the government) with reckless disregard for the veracity of its content. He said a substantial part of the interview was broadcast by TV3 on August 16. – September 11, 2015.