Former Hindraf adviser ordered to pay RM50k damages to Guan Eng and Ramasamy (Updated)

GEORGE TOWN: The High Court here today ordered former Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) national adviser N. Ganesan to pay RM50,000 in damages each to Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng and Deputy Chief Minister II Prof P. Ramasamy over a defamation suit.
In making the ruling, Judge Datuk Lim Chong Fong also ordered the defendant to pay RM25,000 in costs in a lump sump to both plaintiffs.
Lim said Guan Eng and Ramasamy, as high-ranking public officers, could take legal action against persons who had defamed and passed slanderous remarks against them.
He said the plaintiffs had proved that they were disparaged with remarks made by the defendant and so the defamation suit was filed.
The judge also said Ganesan failed to establish evidence that " thugs" were sent by Guan Eng and Ramasamy to disrupt a forum held on Dec 4, 2013.
From his findings, Lim added there were elements of malice when a press conference was held by Ganeson on Dec 4, 2013 to make slanderous remarks and it had become something of public interest.
Lim said Ganesan should have allowed the police to do their duty when a police report was lodged on Dec 3, 2013 instead of holding a media conference to utter the disparaging remarks.
He noted that every public officer was subjected to public scrutiny and criticism could be made.
"But it should not digress into uncalled for slander remarks. This element should not be compromised."
Lim and Ramasamy had filed a suit against the New Straits Times and its former journalist Predeep Nambiar, over an article titled "Indian-interest group claims thugs interrupted meeting" on Dec 4, 2013.
On Sept 6, last year, the Court of Appeal had unanimously set aside an earlier High Court decision which dismissed Lim and Ramasamy's defamation suit against the defendants.
NST which had withdrawn its application for leave to appeal had been ordered by the court to pay RM200,000 each as well as RM50,000 in legal costs to Guan Eng and Ramasamy on Sept 21 this year.
Guan Eng and Ramasamy were represented by Simon Murali while S. Thilaga and S. Yoginea acted for Ganesan.