Papagomo told to pay Anwar RM850,000

KUALA LUMPUR - A High Court here today ordered online news portal editor Wan Muhammad Azri Wan to pay RM850,000 in total damages over a defamation suit brought by Opposition de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim over alleged defamatory postings implying he was engaged in indecent acts with a man.

High Court judicial commissioner Rosilah Yop delivered the verdict in chambers after meeting Anwar's counsels Latheefa Koya and N.Surendran and defendant's lead counsel Jasbeer Singh Kaura.

Speaking to reporters, Surendran said Rosilah awarded RM800,000 in general damages and RM50,000 in legal costs.

"We feel vindicated by this judgment.

"This proves that all sexual allegations (against Anwar) are lies."

Surendran added Rosilah affirmed that Wan Muhammad Azri was indeed "Papagomo".

In an immediate response, Jasbeer said he will appeal the court's decision.
"I will also file for a stay in judgment pending the appeal."

Meanwhile, Wan Muhammad Azri continued to deny that he is "Papagomo".

"Muka macam saya, tapi bukan saya. ( His face looks like me, but it isn't me.)"
During the trial, Azri vehemently denied he was "Papagomo".

The 31-year-old was the editor of news portal www.rakyatnews.my, formerly known as KL Pos Media & Production Sdn Bhd.

The plaintiff called blogger Mohd Fauzi Mohd Azmi and Anwar while the defendants called Azri as their sole witness.

In his suit filed at the High Court registry on March 21 last year , Anwar, 66, claimed that the defendant had posted defamatory statements and uploaded certain images on his website at www.papagomo.com

He claimed the website could be accessed by anyone surfing the Internet in Malaysia and the world.

He alleged the statements meant that he was a person without morals and was not fit to hold public office.

He further stated that the defamatory words implied that he was not fit to be prime minister and that he was irresponsible and could not be trusted.

Anwar alleged that since Malaysia was a country with a Muslim majority, the defamatory words and images impacted him negatively.

He sought general, aggravated and exemplary damages and for an injunction to stop the defamatory postings from being repeated or reproduced.

In his defence statement, Azri denied publishing any words, images, videos which was slanderous of Anwar.

He added that if he was alleged to have published the defamatory postings, he would rely on the defence of qualified privilege, comment and justification.

NST