KUALA LUMPUR: The High Court today fixed July 8 for its decision on the quantum of damages to be awarded to Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, wife of former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, in a defamation suit she filed against a TikTok account holder.
Her counsel, Datuk Abu Bakar Isa Ramat, said the date was set by Judge Datuk Ahmad Shahrir Mohd Salleh following a hearing on the assessment of damages conducted via Zoom earlier today.
“During the hearing, the court raised a legal question. Counsel for the plaintiff, Mohamed Baharudeen Mohamed Ariff, requested time to file a brief submission in response.
“The submission must be filed within two weeks,” he told Bernama when contacted.
On May 28 last year, Rosmah, 73, obtained a judgment in default from the High Court against Ku Muhammad Hilmie Ku Din, 35, who was named as the defendant, after he failed to respond to the suit within the stipulated timeframe.
Rosmah, who filed the suit on Sept 19, 2023, alleged that Ku Muhammad Hilmie uploaded a video on his TikTok account containing defamatory and false statements against her on March 22, 2023.
She claimed that the defamatory statement, among others, implied that she had committed sinful acts, was associated with activities involving the devil, bomoh (shaman) and an evil individual who engages in syirik (idolatrous) practices.
Rosmah contended that the publication of the statements seriously damaged her reputation as the wife of Malaysia’s sixth prime minister and as a patron of various charitable organisations.
She further asserted that the defamatory content had subjected her to public scorn, ridicule and contempt, thereby tarnishing her public image as a recognised public figure.
Accordingly, she sought general damages, aggravated damages, exemplary damages and any other relief the court deems fit and appropriate.
