The defendant's statements were deemed defamatory, failing defenses of qualified privilege and fair comment due to malice and lack of truth substantiation.

Abang Iskandar Abang Hashim JCA:

Brief Facts Of The Case

[1] The respondent, Dato' Dr Hasan Haji Mohamed Ali ("the plaintiff") in the court below) is a former Selangor State Assemblyman for Gombak Setia and also a former member of the Selangor State Executive Council (EXCO) in charge of Islamic Affairs, Malay Customs, Infrastructure and Public Facilities from March 2008 until 8 January 2012. He also used to hold various positions in the government service for 20 years. Apart from that, he had also held various positions in Parti Islam SeMalaysia ("PAS") before he was dismissed from PAS. After being dismissed from PAS, the plaintiff had formed a nongovernmental organisation ("NGO") called Jalur Tiga ("JATI").

[2] Khalid Abdul Samad, the defendant in the court below ("the defendant") was at the material time, a Member of Parliament for Shah Alam, Selangor since 2008 until now. The defendant is also a member of PAS and holds various positions in the party.

[3] In this case, the plaintiff had instituted a civil action against the defendant and claimed for damages for defamation allegedly committed by the defendant in a press conference held on 24 February 2012 at 6C, 3rd Floor, Block 1, Worldwide Business Centre, Jalan Tinju 13/50, Seksyen 13, Shah Alam, which later was published by the defendant in his blog, http://www.khalidsamad. com/2012/02/video-siapa-taja-hasan-ali.html on 27 February 2012. The publication was in the form of a video clip and an article entitled "Video: Siapa Taja Hasan Ali" ("the article"). It was also contended by the plaintiff that those defamatory statements were published with malice, aforethought. We reproduce below the article which was marked as P1 which had allegedly contained the defamatory statements by the defendant against the plaintiff.

"Video: Siapa Taja Hasan Ali

Timbalan Pesuruhjaya Pas Selangor, Khalid Samad hari ini membangkitkan persoalan sumber kewangan siri 'roadshow' mantan Exco negeri, Datuk Dr Hasan Ali ke seluruh negara yang pastinya menelan biaya yang besar.

Menurut Khalid, sesiapa sahaja yang berada di belakang Dr Hasan Ali semestinya pihak-pihak yang bakal mendapat keuntungan sekiranya Kerajaan Pakatan tumbang di Selangor pada Pilihanraya Umum akan datang.

"Di antara yang berkemungkinan ialah Puncak Niaga dan Syabas kerana kadar tarif air akan naik sebanyak 71 peratus sekiranya BN kembali memerintah negeri Selangor.

"37 peratus untuk tahun 2009 dan 25 peratus untuk tahun 2012. Jika didarabkan 1.37 dengan 1.25 maka jawapannya ialah pendapatan Syabas dan Puncak Niaga naik sebanyak 71 peratus," kata Khalid yang juga Ahli Parlimen Shah Alam.

Selain itu, Khalid juga memberitahu sekiranya Barisan Nasional berjaya menawan Selangor, Syabas berkemungkinan memperoleh kelebihan untuk menjalankan rundingan luar mahkamah berhubung kes saman RM1 billion terhadap Kerajaan Negeri.

"Kerajaan Negeri sekarang disaman kerana tidak benarkan kenaikan harga air pada 2009 dan 2012, maka Syabas bertindak saman Kerajaan Pakatan sebanyak RM1 billion. Kalau Kerajaan BN naik, mereka pasti akan lakukan 'out of court settlement' dan duit sebanyak itu akan diserahkan pada Syabas dalam apa bentuk sekalipun yang dipersetujui bersama," tambah Khalid lagi.

Selain Puncak Niaga dan Syabas, Khalid turut memberitahu kemungkinan ada kontraktor-kontraktor berkepentingan lain yang membiayai Dr Hasan Ali.

"Di bawah Pakatan Rakyat, mereka tidak berpeluang merasai keuntungan seperti dahulu kerana semua peluang adalah 'open tender' dan tiada lagi 'direct negotiat