The court affirmed liability for defamation, reducing awarded damages based on the nature of the posts and the involved parties' statuses.

Introduction

[1] To start with and for ease of reference, the parties herein shall be referred to as they were before the Johor Bahru High Court in Guaman Sivil No JA-22NCVC-162-08/2018 (the Suit).

[2] This is the defendant's appeal against the decision of the learned Judicial Commissioner (JC) dated 26 October 2020 for the abovementioned Suit wherein the learned JC had allowed the plaintiffs defamation claim against the defendant with costs.

[3]Vide the said Suit, the plaintiff claimed for damages against the defendant for defamation, predicated on 3 postings published by the defendant in the Facebook account of "Sakinah Sulong" belonging to the defendant. The publications of the 3 postings were made on the 7th, 8th and 12 February 2018 respectively. The defendant denied liability and pleaded inter alia, the defences of justification and fair comment.

[4] After a full trial, the learned JC allowed the plaintiff's claim and consequentially awarded RM 100,000-00 for General Damages and RM100,000-00 for Punitive Damages against the defendant and costs.

[5] Aggrieved and dissatisfied, the defendant appealed to the Court of Appeal against the whole of the said decision on liability and quantum. Hence, the appeal before us herein.

Background Facts And Chronology Of Events

[6] At all material times, the relevant and material facts as per the pleadings of the parties are as follows:

The Plaintiffs Case:

(i) The plaintiff is a "doula" (birth companion) who offered personalized ante and post-natal care advice.

(ii) One of the plaintiffs companion/client is 'Norizatul Amira Mansan' (PW2). On 4 February 2018, PW2 gave birth to a baby girl at home by water birth. Sadly, the baby died at birth.

(iii) The defendant is a medical doctor and the owner of a Facebook Account under the name of "Sakinah Sulong".

(iv) Following that unfortunate death of PW2's baby, the defendant published on 7 February 2018, 8 February 2018 and 12 August 2018 the following postings in her Facebook Account abovementioned:

(a) 1 February 2018

"...Dalam kes yang baru berlaku, korang jangan tanya di mana dan siapa yang terlibat. Ibunya walaupun mulutnya kata redha, saya pasti malamnya pasti dikejar mimpi. Hatinya pasti diulit sepi. Doula yang dikaitkan dalam memberi ajaran mmg sah Doula Masyitah. Ini mmg kawasan operasi dia. Dia mungkin nak menafikan tapi jangan lupa, CCTV ada di hospital. Ada juga saksi sana nampak dia di bilik saringan ibu bersama bapa bayi berkenaan pada malam tersebut. Betul ke dia cakap kat rumah?"

[Emphasis Added]

(b) 8 February 2018

"Saya memang MARAH hari ni!

Pertama, marah ngan #doulakeji itu.

Dah sah2 dia yang attend kes water birth kat rumah klien dia, dia boleh nafi pulak.

Habih kekawan/klien dia back up dia kononnya dia ni kena fitnah, Kononnya dia elok duduk kat rumah pada malam kejadian.

Aik, BERBOHONG tu kart berdosa,

Dan terang2 u were there masa ambulans datang nak selamatkan baby tu.

U even followed them ke hospital. Jangan nak berdalih, ada ramai saksi kat hospital. CCTV pun ada. Entah2 solat Magrib pun tak sempat kan?

Pelik la, u are heavily pregnant now. Tak takut ke Allah bayar cash to u hasil perbuatan dan pembohongan u tu? Yakin sangat ke yg ur husband tu boleh conduct d delivery kali ni tanpa sebarang masalah walaupun dia dah berjaya sblm ni? Remember, health staffs yg jaga area u will be reminded to be alert if ada unexpected emergency",

[Emphasis Added]

(c) 12 February 2018

"A LIAR will have a hard time keeping the line between the truth and the lies.

Saya terpaksa berkongsi cerita kerana saya TIDAK MAHU seorang yang berimej Islamik, melakukan satu kesalahan dan sesedap rasa menafikan tanpa rasa bersalah. Dia pe