What specific defamatory statement led to the RM250,000 award?

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High Court Awards Perlis Mufti RM250,000 in Defamation Case Over GISBH Posts

The High Court awarded Perlis Mufti Datuk Mohd Asri Zainul Abidin RM250,000 in damages after finding one of four statements published on Facebook by Mohd Nawawi Abdul Razak to be defamatory. The court determined that the remaining three statements did not meet the legal threshold for defamation. The ruling also mandates the defendant to publish an apology, remove the offending posts, and cease further defamatory publications.
Defamatory Nature of the First Statement

The court concluded that the initial statement published by Mohd Nawawi Abdul Razak on his Facebook account on September 20, 2024, satisfied the legal requirements for defamation. While the exact wording of this specific statement was not detailed, the overall context of the posts implied that Mohd Asri was associated with the GISB Holdings Sdn Bhd (GISBH) movement, maintained close connections with the group, and tacitly approved of superstitious practices to gain advantages from GISBH.
Partial Success in Defamation Claim

Datuk Mohd Asri Zainul Abidin, who filed the suit on October 10, 2024, alleged that four separate defamatory statements were published. However, the court found that only the first statement was actionable as defamation. The plaintiff's legal team, represented by lawyers Faizal Rahman and Fatima Zulaikha Ahmad Bashri, successfully argued for the defamatory nature of this single statement, while the defence, led by Mohd Tajudin Abd Razak, failed to establish its pleaded defences.
Court-Ordered Actions and Financial Penalties

In addition to the RM250,000 in global damages, the court ordered Mohd Nawawi to pay five per cent annual interest from the date of judgment until full settlement. Furthermore, RM50,000 in costs were awarded to Datuk Mohd Asri. The court also stipulated that Mohd Nawawi must issue a public apology on his Facebook account within seven days of the judgment, remove all defamatory content, and refrain from making any future defamatory remarks concerning Datuk Mohd Asri.

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What specific defamatory statement led to the RM250,000 award?

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