KEDAH Pakatan Harapan chairman Datuk Wira Mahfuz Omar has asked Kedah Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor to pay the compensation awarded in a defamation suit or risk having a bankruptcy notice filed against him.
“I will speak to my lawyer about the next course of action on the matter. We can file a bankruptcy notice against him (Sanusi) or confiscate his property,” Berita Harian quoted the Amanah politician as saying.
After losing a defamation claim filed by Mahfuz, the Court of Appeal ordered Sanusi to pay RM120,000 in damages and RM10,000 in legal costs.
After the payment was not received within 14 days of the judgement date on April 3, Mahfuz stated that he was considering filing a cross-appeal to double the damages to RM240,000.
“Sanusi’s excuse of wanting to refer to his lawyer on the matter is not relevant as the compensation is already more than two weeks overdue,” added the former Pokok Sena MP.
“If Sanusi wants to transfer the money to my account, he can do so and share the receipt with me via WhatsApp and apologise over the matter. That’s all. There is no longer the need for lawyer-to-lawyer dealing.
On Oct 9, 2019, Mahfuz filed a suit against Sanusi over a post uploaded on the PAS lawmaker’s Facebook which linked Mahfuz to the opening of a Sports Toto gambling outlet in Pokok Sena, Kedah.
Meanwhile, the claim was upheld by the High Court in November 2021, and Sanusi was ordered to pay the damages. He then appealed the High Court’s ruling to the Court of Appeal, but his request was denied. — May 5, 2023
Main photo credit: Harian Metro
