KUALA LUMPUR: There was no malice on the part of then inspector-general of police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar and Rural and Regional Development Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob when they commented on a photograph showing Nurul Izzah Anwar meeting with Jacel Kiram.
In her submission today in a defamation suit brought against the two by Nurul Izzah, senior federal counsel Normastura Ayub told the High Court here that the statements were made in response to questions from the press at separate functions unrelated to the issue.
She said the issue had already been commented on by several people, including politicians who had demanded an explanation from Nurul Izzah over why she met with Jacel, the daughter of the self-proclaimed Sulu Sultan Jamalul Kiram III.
“The fact is that the picture of the Lembah Pantai member of parliament (Nurul Izzah) and Jacel Kiram, the daughter of Jamalul Kiram III, the man who led the Lahad Datu intrusion in Sabah in 2013, had long since gone viral on social media.
“The defendants (Khalid and Ismail Sabri) made their statements after being asked to comment on the meeting by journalists at separate functions. At that point in time, it was Khalid’s responsibility (as IGP) as it involved national security and public interest.
“Meanwhile, Ismail Sabri is a minister and a leader of the country (so he was asked to comment on the issue by journalists). They (Khalid and Ismail sabri) were merely stating their opinions (on the matter),” she said.
Meanwhile, Nurul Izzah’s counsel R. Sivarasa, submitted that the defendants failed to show evidence that the meeting between Nurul Izzah and Jacel had been planned and not a coincidence.
He also said Khalid had not been telling the truth because the statement he made at the media conference and his testimony in court were not the same.
After listening to the submissions of both sides, judicial commissioner Datuk Faizah Jamaludin set April 9 for decision.
During the trial, three witnesses testified on the plaintiff’s side – Nurul Izzah, her father Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and PKR vice-president Tian Chua, or Chua Tian Chang.
Ismail Sabri and Khalid did not call any witnesses, choosing instead to testify on their own behalf.
Nurul Izzah filed the suit on Nov 26, 2015, alleging that Khalid had disparaged her in a press conference at the federal police headquarters in Bukit Aman on Nov 22, 2015, and Ismail Sabri, at a function in Bera, Pahang the same day.
She claimed their statements implied that she was a traitor to the country and party to the Lahad Datu intrusion.
