KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 10 — Inspector General of Police (IGP) Tan Sri Razarudin Husain has succeeded in his application to prevent blogger Wan Muhammad Azri Wan Deris, popularly known as Papagomo, from issuing defamatory statements against him pending the disposal of his suit.
High Court Judicial Commissioner Gan Techiong, in allowing the inter-parte injunction application by Razarudin today, ordered Azri to pay costs of RM10,000 and set January 20 for case management of the suit.
In allowing the application, the court issued an injunction prohibiting Azri or his representative from publishing or posting defamatory statements on all social media platforms directed at Razarudin pending the disposal of the suit.
[caption id="attachment_355276" align="alignleft" width="412"]
Wan Muhammad Azri Wan Deris speaks to the press at the Sessions Court in Kuala Lumpur in this file picture from March 18, 2024. — Picture by BERNAMA[/caption]
The court also issued an injunction prohibiting and preventing Azri or his representative from publishing or causing the re-publishing of statements, videos, status, and comments or any form of reference to the plaintiff.
The statements, videos, status, and comments are about Razarudin's position as IGP and in his personal capacity in writing and verbally either online on social media platforms and through short messaging apps including Telegram and WhatsApp.
Azri was also ordered to withdraw, download, and delete the publication of his video broadcasts on Youtube, TikTok, Facebook, Telegram, and X (formerly Twitter) dated December 14, December 15, December 20, and December 22 last year, which contained defamatory statements against Razarudin.
Earlier, lawyer S. Raam Kumar, representing Razarudin, told the court that the notice of application for the ex-parte injunction, the affidavit and the letter regarding the inter-parte injunction hearing had been submitted to Wan Muhammad Azri on Friday (January 3).
"In the letter, it was informed that today is the hearing of the inter-parte injunction application in this court, but there is no appearance by the defendant or his lawyer,” he said.
Meanwhile, Gan said a law firm, Law Practice of Rafique, had informed the court earlier that it would represent Azri, and instructed Raam Kumar to contact the law firm's office before adjourning the proceeding for an hour.
However, he ordered the proceeding to continue after Raam Kumar informed that he had called the law firm's office 10 times, but his calls went unanswered.
Razarudin filed the RM3 million lawsuit against Wan Muhammad Azri on December 26 last year. It was for allegedly defaming him, whereby the alleged defamatory remarks also mentioned Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
He is seeking damages for oral and written defamation, as well as general, aggravated, or exemplary and special damages.
Razarudin is also seeking an injunction order to prevent Azri, his agent or any other party from issuing defamatory statements and words in addition to publishing or causing the re-publication of the defamatory statements.
— Bernama
