High Court Orders PAS’s Siti Mastura Muhammad to Pay RM825,000 in Damages and Costs
Stay of Execution Hearing Scheduled for January 23
GEORGE TOWN: Kepala Batas MP Siti Mastura Muhammad has been ordered to pay a total of RM825,000 in damages and costs to DAP leaders Lim Kit Siang, Lim Guan Eng, and Teresa Kok. The High Court here has fixed January 23 to decide whether to grant Mastura a stay of execution to delay payment while pursuing further legal recourse.
Defamation Ruling
On December 4, the court ruled that Mastura had defamed the three DAP leaders by linking them to the late Communist Party of Malaya leader, Chin Peng, while campaigning for the Kemaman by-election last year. The court ordered Mastura to pay RM300,000 to Kit Siang, RM250,000 to Guan Eng, and RM200,000 to Kok, as well as costs of RM25,000 to each of them.
Stay of Execution Hearing
Lawyer SN Nair, who represented the DAP trio, revealed that the timeline for the hearing of the stay of execution had been brought forward from February 19. The stay of execution hearing will determine whether Mastura can delay payment while pursuing further legal recourse.
"So an interim stay of execution of the judgment has been granted until January 23," Nair said. According to him, High Court judge Quay Chew Soon said that stays of execution are not typically granted for monetary judgments. "However, in the interest of justice, the judge granted the interim stay and will proceed to hear and decide on the application on January 23," he said.
Consequences of Not Granting Stay of Execution
If the court does not grant Mastura a stay of execution, Nair has been instructed to commence bankruptcy proceedings, among others. PAS has, in the meantime, launched a donation drive among its members to raise funds for Mastura to pay up.
Conclusion
The stay of execution hearing will be a crucial moment in determining whether Mastura can delay payment while pursuing further legal recourse. The outcome of the hearing will have significant implications for Mastura and the DAP leaders involved in the case.
FAQs
- What is the total amount of damages and costs that Mastura has been ordered to pay?
- RM825,000
- What is the amount of damages that Mastura has been ordered to pay to each of the DAP leaders?
- RM300,000 to Kit Siang, RM250,000 to Guan Eng, and RM200,000 to Kok
- What is the deadline for the stay of execution hearing?
- January 23
- What are the consequences if the court does not grant Mastura a stay of execution?
- Nair has been instructed to commence bankruptcy proceedings, among others.