Court of Appeal postpones ruling on Home Minister Saifuddin's RM600k defamation verdict

The Court of Appeal reserved its decision on Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail’s challenge to a high court ruling that ordered him to pay RM600,000 in damages to Kedah Menteri Besar Sanusi Nor for defamation. The case stems from Saifuddin’s remarks linking Sanusi to alleged misappropriation of funds under the Malaysian Road Records Information System and to rare earth element issues. A three-member bench, chaired by Judge Azhahari Kamal Ramli and joined by Judges Ong Chee Kwan and Radzi Harun, heard submissions from Saifuddin’s lawyer Razlan Hadri Zulkifli and Sanusi’s counsel Yusfarizal Yussoff.

The judges deferred their verdict, scheduling Oct 16 for case management to set a date for the final judgment. The high court had previously awarded Sanusi RM600,000 in general, aggravated and exemplary damages, plus RM70,000 in costs. Both sides argued over the scope of the defamatory statements and the applicability of justification and fair comment defenses.