Court of Appeal reverses earlier ruling, orders former police chief Musa Hassan to pay damages to minister
PUTRAJAYA: Federal Territories Minister Hannah Yeoh has secured a legal victory in her defamation lawsuit against former Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Musa Hassan, with the Court of Appeal awarding her RM250,000 in damages.
Justice Datuk Azimah Omar announced the unanimous decision, stating that the previous dismissal by the High Court in 2024 was incorrect. The three-judge panel, which also included Justices Datuk Choo Kah Sing and Datuk Shahnaz Sulaiman, sided with Yeoh in the appeal.
The lawsuit stems from comments Musa made during a 2020 forum at Universiti Teknologi Mara. On January 30 that year, the former police chief claimed that an unidentified group was working to undermine Islam in Malaysia, suggesting connections to the Democratic Action Party (DAP) of which Yeoh is a member.
His remarks specifically referenced Yeoh’s autobiography, alleging it promoted converting Malaysia into a Christian-majority nation.
He alleged that Yeoh was seeking to turn Malaysia into a Christian nation.
The minister’s memoir, titled “Becoming Hannah, a Personal Journey,” chronicles her experiences as a Malaysian woman and discusses how her Christian faith influenced her path into political life.
Yeoh initiated legal proceedings later that year in response to these allegations.
