Court allows appeal by TV3 to reduce quantum of damages

PUTRAJAYA: The Court of Appeal here today allowed the appeal by TV3 and four others to reduce the quantum of damages from RM250,000 to RM80,000 they had to pay to former Akademi Fantasia Season 2 star Nurullah Zawawi and her husband over a defamatory report.
A three-member panel chaired by Datuk Zaharah Ibrahim, however, dismissed the appellants' appeal on liability.
In partly allowing their appeal, Justice Zaharah substituted the quantum of damages from RM250,000 to RM80,000 after ruling that the defamatory statement complained by Nurullah and her husband had only formed a small part in the entertainment programme aired by the television station.
She said the High Court judge had also found no malice involved.
Presiding on the panel with Justice Zaharah were Justices Datuk Azahar Mohamed and Datuk Mohamad Ariff Md Yusof.
Nurullah and her husband Mohd Munzil Muhamad sued TV3, the producer of the Melodi programme, Azman Abd Ghafar, journalist Michelle Wee Lili, Alt Media Sdn Bhd and Bustamam Zawawi, who is Nurullah's brother, over a defamatory report aired in "Melodi" on June 26, 2011 on their marriage status.
On Dec 20, last year, the High Court in Kuala Lumpur allowed the couple's civil suit and ordered the appellants to pay them (the couple) RM250,000 in damages.
The appellants were represented by lawyer T.H. Liew while lawyer Nadzarin Wok Nordin appeared for the couple. – Bernama