JUDGMENT

RK Nathan J:

The Plaintiff's Claim

The plaintiff's action arises from, and is based on, the defendant's publication in Mingguan Wanita (the magazine) of 26 January - 2 February 1996 issue wherein the cover portrays a photograph of the plaintiff with the words "Mala Tebus Talak RM3 Juta?" and within the magazine, photographs of the plaintiff and an article under the heading "Jiwa lara seorang Normala, Hatinya berkata iya, bibirnya berkata tidak!" which the plaintiff alleges is defamatory of her and is understood to bear the meanings and inferences that:

(i) The plaintiff bought herself off from her marriage bondage by paying (her ex-husband) the sum of RM3 million.

(ii) There is a third person in the plaintiff's marriage.

(iii) The plaintiff attempted to deny the aforesaid by attributing the same as an ordinary occurrence.

(iv) The plaintiff is not forthright.

(v) The third person in the plaintiff's life had paid the RM3 million to the plaintiff's husband.

(vi) The plaintiff is an immoral person.

(vii) The plaintiff's divorce is the result of her extra-marital affairs.

(viii) The plaintiff is selfish and/or self-centred and/or mercenary.

(ix) The plaintiff does not