Will Kamarul Zaman have to pay the RM480,000 now?

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Kamarul Zaman Must Pay RM480,000 Defamation Judgment

The High Court has rejected Kamarul Zaman Yusoff's application to delay the payment of a RM480,000 defamation judgment to Hannah Yeoh. Judicial commissioner Avinder Singh Gill ruled that there were no special circumstances to justify a stay of execution, meaning the payment is now due. This decision upholds the original High Court order for Kamarul to pay Yeoh RM400,000 in damages and RM80,000 in legal costs.
Court Rejects Grounds for Delay

Judicial commissioner Avinder Singh Gill dismissed Kamarul Zaman Yusoff's plea for a stay of execution, stating that no special circumstances were presented to warrant such a delay. Kamarul had sought to postpone the RM480,000 payment to Hannah Yeoh, which stemmed from two Facebook posts made by Kamarul in 2017. The court found the arguments insufficient to justify halting the payment order.
Defamation Judgment Details

The initial High Court order, issued on May 30, mandated Kamarul Zaman Yusoff to pay Hannah Yeoh RM400,000 in damages and RM80,000 for legal costs. This judgment was a consequence of defamation found in two Facebook posts published by Kamarul in 2017. The defamation claim concerned remarks made against Yeoh, leading to the substantial financial penalty.
Bankruptcy Proceedings Not a Special Circumstance

Kamarul Zaman Yusoff's legal team attempted to leverage the initiation of bankruptcy proceedings against him as a special circumstance for delaying the payment. However, the judge ruled that such matters fall under the purview of the insolvency court and do not constitute grounds for a stay in this defamation case. Hannah Yeoh had initiated these bankruptcy proceedings due to Kamarul's failure to settle the judgment debt.
Appeal Process and Next Steps

While Kamarul Zaman Yusoff filed an appeal against the defamation decision in June, his application for a stay of payment was only made last month. This timing was noted by the court as he sought to delay the financial obligation. His lawyer indicated that they would seek further instructions from their client regarding the subsequent legal actions following this ruling.

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Will Kamarul Zaman have to pay the RM480,000 now?

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