The Court of Appeal yesterday reserved its judgment on PAS MP Siti Mastura Muhammad’s appeal against a ruling that ordered her to pay RM750,000 in damages to three veteran DAP leaders for defamation.
Her lawyer Yusfarizal Yusoff argued that her remarks linking Lim Kit Siang, Lim Guan Eng and Teresa Kok to the late Communist Party of Malaya (CPM) leader Chin Peng were intended to reference similarities in political ideology, not to suggest literal family ties, FMT reported.
He said that when Siti Mastura mentioned a “cousin” during a political speech in Kemaman, Terengganu, on Nov 4, 2023, she was making an ideological comparison between the principles of the CPM and the DAP.
He cited DAP’s 1967 Setapak Declaration, arguing that it highlighted alleged similarities with communist principles.
He said Siti Mastura’s remarks were made in the context of a political speech during an election period and should be interpreted as political commentary, not as accusations of criminal or subversive behaviour.
The court ordered Siti Mastura to pay RM300,000 in damages to Kit Siang, RM250,000 to Guan Eng, and RM200,000 to Teresa Kok.
In addition, RM25,000 was awarded to each plaintiff as legal costs. – NST
