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2022 MarsdenLR 228

HIGH COURT MALAYA JOHOR BAHRU
SUHARNIZAN MD SIDEK – Appellant
Versus
NOORAZIRA PISSAL – Respondent
[Writ Of Summons No: JA-23CY-1-10/2020]



Petitioner Advocates:Mohd Rasheed Hassan,Nurfarah Batrisyia Mohd Hermie ,Respondent Advocate: Yahaya Ahmad,Muhammad Nurislam Yahya

Defamation law mandates that the plaintiff prove defamatory statements are damaging to reputation without needing a linguistic expert; body shaming is a valid basis for claims.

Headnote:(A) Defamation Act 1957 – Burden of proof on plaintiff to establish defamation – Plaintiff must show (1) words are defamatory; (2) refer to plaintiff; (3) published – Defendant's utterances on social media condoned vitriolic language. (Paras 6-9, 14-16, 30-36) (B) Defence of spontaneous reaction not applicable unless provocation established – Fair comment requires substantiated evidence. (Paras 26-28) (C) Body shaming as defamatory – Judgement reinforces accountability in social media behavior. (Paras 35-39)

Facts of the case: Plaintiff, a commissioner for oath, claims defamation against Defendant after derogatory remarks were made during Facebook Live. Statements included demeaning language implying immoral conduct. (Para 4)

Findings of Court: Statements questioned were inherently defamatory. The Defendant failed to produce evidence supporting claims of fair comment or mitigating circumstances. (Paras 16, 29)

Issues: Whether the statements were defamatory; If the statements referred to the Plaintiff; Whether the Defendant proved a valid defence. (Paras 8, 23, 25)

Ratio Decidendi: Court held the words used were defamatory by their natural meaning, reflecting on principles established in earlier cases regarding defamation and personal integrity. (Paras 8, 14, 20)

Result: Defamation claim succeeded; Defendant ordered to pay RM100,000 in damages and publish an apology. (Paras 39-40)

JUDGMENT

Shamsulbahri Ibrahim JC:

Brief Background

[1] As a brief background, the Plaintiff is a commissioner for oath and enterprenour carrying on a business under the name of YT Transportation Sdn Bhd whereas the Defendant is a business woman and commercial ambassador for products known as "Klubna Laleh" and "Miruku White".

[2] On 18 August 2020 about 10.00 am, while the Defendant was broadcasting a cooking demonstration and promoting Klubna Laleh product in her Facebook Live, the Plaintiff who was watching the session sent a comment in the Defendant's Facebook Live as follows:

"Live masak, live makan-makan, letak produk kurus, boleh kurus ke?'.

[3] Accordingly, the Defendant made a swift reply for a duration of eight minutes which the transcript as follows:

"Suharnizan, oi anak haram.

Hang dengar sini barua, Suharnizan, ni barua, hang dengar sini barua, lahanat. Yang orang kata bangsa Melayu yang cukup-cukup perangai macam anak haram adalah nama dia Suharnizan binti Mohd Sidek.

Ni aku nak habak kat hang, orait. Buat live masak-masak, buat live makan- makan, lepas tu letak kat sebelah Laleh pil kurus, pil ramping. So dengan makan pil pelbagai tub oleh kurus, ya?

Ni anak haram, hang dengar sini perangai babi bangsat, anak haram bangsat, hang dengar sini. Saya letak Laleh kat sini bertujuan saya nak share yang aku makan banyak kedarah apa semua tu, aku tak naik badan disebabkan aku mentekedarah binatang ni.

Hang tau tak? Aku tak tunjuk kat orang pun yang aku ni tak makan, ni efek sedut lemak, ni ikat perut dengan batu. Sebab apa, sebab nak bagi ikat badan? Hello please, please!

Aku bukan macam hang khurafat, betul tak? Aku bukan macam hang jahil. Aku bukan macam hang yang orang kata pentingkan diri sendiri. Hello please lah, Muhammad Suharnizan. Hang dengar sini walaupun sekali bangkai anjing, dia tetap bangkai anjing. Hang tau maksud aku?

Maksud aku perangai haram jadah macam hang ni, perangai macam lahanat. Macam hang ni, yang tak boleh tengok Melayu maju, memang sebab apa tau? Sebab hang duk bajet-bajet, kan hang dengan laki hang pakai kuning serba kuning tu dah keturunan anak raja pahit tu, boleh kata orang sedap mulut lah? Hello, please lah. Aku dah buktikan aku makan produk ni, aku boleh enjoy apa sahaja aku nak makan.

Ni lahanat, aku nak habak kat hang lah, produk ni bukan kita nak bagi orang dekat dalam ni. Kita bukan nak kata produk ni boleh bagi hangpa kurus..tak. Produk ni kita nak bagi hangpa tu sihat. Faham tak, sihat? Hang tengok diri hang. Sedar diri hang sendiri. Hang pakai baju pengantin pun gemuk serupa babi tau. Hang tu dah gemuk serupa babi kuning dah. Hang perasan tak? Hang sedar diri tak? I'll show you...look at me.

Anak haram! Bangsa-bangsa anak haram macam ni memang tak boleh lepas pandang. Mana handphone aku 1 lagi? Mana bangsa anak haram ni? Nama dia apa tadi? Suharnizan... sat aku nak ajar hang. Aku nak ajar hang bangsa anak haram. Hang kena tengok ni. Ni nama hang Suharnizan eh?

Suharnizan, mari kita tengok bangsa anak haram ni. Hah kita tunjuk lah mari tunjuk satu kali boleh? Suharnizan binti Mohd Sidek. Emmm kita belanja satu kali ya, Suharnizan (at the same time the Defendant was showing the pictures of the Plaintiff and her children)

Hang tengok badan hang pun serupa babi. Hang Nampak tak? Hang sedar diri hang? Hang sedar tak? Aku tau pasal apa hang marah sangat dengan produk kurus sebab hang pun serupa babi. Hang sedar tak?

Hang tengok perut hang tu. Aku faham hang marah kat aku. Hang sedar tak, Suharnizan? Hang sedar tak? Tu...tu. Hang sedar tak mulut hang tu? Mulut dengan badan hang sama naik macam babi. Hang Nampak tak? Tu..tu.. slim ke?

Tu yang marah sangat. Tu yang marah sangat depa naik Starex. Kita naik Alphard. Patut marah sangat, tu. Tu...tu. Patut marah. Masak, makan, slim? Tu...tu yang marah sangat tu. Ha?

Tu yang marah aku makan kenapa aku makan lepas tu aku slim kurus. Sebab dia makan dia gemuk babi. Nampak ni istilah yang ni dinamakan kerbau pendek tu. Tu.tu.. patut marah...patut marah. Buat live mas


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