Kuala lumpur: The defamation suit filed by former Environment and Water Minister Datuk Seri Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man against former Economy Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Rafizi Ramli was amicably resolved at the High Court here today. Tuan Ibrahim had initiated the suit on November 17, 2022, concerning allegedly defamatory statements related to the approval of several projects, including a flood mitigation project.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, during the proceeding before Judicial Commissioner Avinder Singh Gill, lawyer Yusfarizal Yussoff, representing Tuan Ibrahim, announced that both parties had reached an out-of-court settlement. The terms of the agreement included Tuan Ibrahim's application to withdraw the suit without liberty to refile and with no order as to costs, a move confirmed by lawyer Azhar Arman Ali, representing Mohd Rafizi.
Following the settlement, Avinder struck out the suit and vacated the previously scheduled trial dates, expressing appreciation for the efforts made by both parties to reach a resolution. The court had initially fixed September 8 to 12 for the hearing.
In a joint statement issued by both Mohd Rafizi and Tuan Ibrahim, it was stated that Mohd Rafizi agreed to remove all related social media posts to prevent the issue from being prolonged and to avoid any public misinterpretation. The statement also clarified that the issue of Tuan Ibrahim's alleged involvement in awarding the Sungai Langat 2 flood mitigation project worth RM2 billion to Mangkubumi Sdn Bhd was not the main focus of the earlier media statements by Rafizi and thus no longer arises between the parties.
The statement further mentioned that both parties agreed to set aside any disagreements or misunderstandings for the sake of public interest, social harmony, and political stability in the country. Both politicians were present in court and were seen shaking hands before leaving the courtroom.
Tuan Ibrahim's statement of claim accused Rafizi of making defamatory statements at two press conferences at the PKR headquarters, which were streamed live on Rafizi's YouTube account on November 7 and 9, 2022. The statements allegedly implied Tuan Ibrahim's involvement in approving projects totaling more than RM2.3 billion, including the Sungai Langat Flood Mitigation Plan and a sewage treatment plant project. He was also accused of conspiring with then Prime Minister, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, in awarding projects under the Jana Wibawa Programme.