The money will finance various KDM Malaysia’s community-based activities and services..
KOTA KINABALU: Kadazandusun Murut Malayisa president Peter Anthony will `returned’ to the people the RM350,000 damages awarded to him by the High Court here Wednesday after winning a defamation suit he filed against a businessman last year.
“The money will finance various KDM Malaysia’s community-based activities and services, “ he told Borneo Insider here today.
Saying that the verdict was a gift to all KDM members and supporters, he said it would also spur him to continue the non-Governmental organisation’s activities to the society, particularly the Bumiputeras, in the rural areas.
According to Anthony, KDM Malaysia has planned more than 40 activities in the various districts this year.
High Court Deputy Registrar Steve Ritikos had on Wednesday ordered businessman Harry Ignatius Beatty to pay Anthony RM350,000 in general and aggravated damages following a defamation suit he filed against Beatty.
Anthony’s counsel Wendy Lee was present when Ritikos handed down his judgement in chambers. The judge also fixed the sum with interest of five per cent per annum calculated from the date of order to the date of full payment.
The KDM Malaysia president had filed the suit against Beatty for suing him alleging that he had taken over as president against the law and the NGO’s constitution. The suit was struck out with RM3,000 costs by the court on Jan 14, 2013.
In his affidavit in support of his suit against Beatty, Anthony claimed that due to the businessman’s court case against him, he had suffered and had been injured in his credit, personal and professional reputation and brought into public scandal, odium and contempt.
Anthony also claimed that his business and company were also affected by the allegations.
Now that the court had finally delivered its verdict, Anthony was glad to be eventually legally recognised as the rightful KDM Malaysia president and pointed out that `the truth is more important than the amount of money awarded by the court.’
He added that it would be unfortunate if the sincere efforts of the NGO to help the spciety is disputed and ridiculed with unfounded issues.
“I will never allow the association to be belittled. It is for this reason that I view seriously any attempt to damage my reputation as well as destroy the name of KDM Malaysia. I will not hesitate to initiate legal action,” he said.
According to Anthony, his lawyers are also studying and considering several allegations by other individuals to be brought to courts if necessary.
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