KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 21 — Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim won his
defamation lawsuit today against Utusan Malaysia after the High Court
here ruled that the newspaper had “distorted” the opposition leader’s
words to suggest he backed the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender
(LGBT) movement.
Justice
Datuk VT Singham also said the Umno-owned daily did not practise
responsible journalism, in addition to disregarding a golden opportunity
to correct itself after Anwar (picture) had sent a legal notice asking for clarification.
“The articles ... were distorted, incorrect version of the events ... and taken out of context,” Singham said in his judgment.
“The court is satisfied that the words (in the articles) are defamatory to the plaintiff.”
The judge said it was “crystal clear” that Anwar did not say that LGBT activities should be legalised in his BBC interview, and the Utusan articles had suggested that Anwar was unfit to hold public office and be the opposition leader.
Anwar had in January filed the defamation suit seeking RM50 million in damages and an injunction to stop Utusan and its editor-in-chief from repeating statements accusing him of being a gay rights proponent.
At a hearing on July 18, Anwar had told the court that it was “public knowledge” that Utusan Malaysia was Umno-owned and that it took orders from the party’s president.
He also agreed then that homosexuals should be discriminated against to protect the sanctity of marriage, but pointed out that archaic laws should be reviewed to prevent innocent people from being punished.
Earlier this year, Anwar was acquitted of a charge of sodomising former male aide Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan, with the High Court ruling that the prosecution had not done enough to prove the opposition leader had committed sodomy against Saiful.
Just days after Anwar was exonerated, Utusan Malaysia front-paged a story titled “Anwar ulas isu gay” (Anwar discusses gay rights), claiming the Pakatan Rakyat (PR) de facto leader had told a BBC interview that laws on homosexuality in Malaysia were considered “archaic” and “not relevant”.
Source themalaysianinsiderJustice
Datuk VT Singham also said the Umno-owned daily did not practise
responsible journalism, in addition to disregarding a golden opportunity
to correct itself after Anwar (picture) had sent a legal notice asking for clarification.“The articles ... were distorted, incorrect version of the events ... and taken out of context,” Singham said in his judgment.
“The court is satisfied that the words (in the articles) are defamatory to the plaintiff.”
The judge said it was “crystal clear” that Anwar did not say that LGBT activities should be legalised in his BBC interview, and the Utusan articles had suggested that Anwar was unfit to hold public office and be the opposition leader.
Anwar had in January filed the defamation suit seeking RM50 million in damages and an injunction to stop Utusan and its editor-in-chief from repeating statements accusing him of being a gay rights proponent.
At a hearing on July 18, Anwar had told the court that it was “public knowledge” that Utusan Malaysia was Umno-owned and that it took orders from the party’s president.
He also agreed then that homosexuals should be discriminated against to protect the sanctity of marriage, but pointed out that archaic laws should be reviewed to prevent innocent people from being punished.
Earlier this year, Anwar was acquitted of a charge of sodomising former male aide Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan, with the High Court ruling that the prosecution had not done enough to prove the opposition leader had committed sodomy against Saiful.
Just days after Anwar was exonerated, Utusan Malaysia front-paged a story titled “Anwar ulas isu gay” (Anwar discusses gay rights), claiming the Pakatan Rakyat (PR) de facto leader had told a BBC interview that laws on homosexuality in Malaysia were considered “archaic” and “not relevant”.
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