1. ) FRANCES JOYCELYN NATHAN 2. ) JAYAPRAGASH AMBLAVANAR 3. ) ALLIANZ GENERAL INSURANCE COMPANY (MALAYSIA) BERHAD v Siva Subramaniam A/l M. Shanmugam (Menyaman Sebagai Seorang Pemilik Tunggal Yang Beramal Di Bawah Nama Dan Gaya Subramaniam & Shafiq, Sebuah Firma Peguambela & Peguamcara)

p-02ncvcw-2112-11-2022 Court of Appeal (Mahkamah Rayuan) 10 November 2024 • P-02(NCvC)(W)-2112-11/2022 • 98 min read
34 cases cited (0 SG, 34 foreign)

Outcome

We therefore allow Appeal 2112 and set aside the decision/judgment of the High Court dated 27 October 2022. Consequently, the Plaintiff’s claim is dismissed. It follows that Appeal 2197 cannot stand and it is dismissed with no order as to costs. [170] In any event, it is clear that the Plaintiff’s claim for RM4.8Million being the purported loss of income was not proven as there was no credible evidence that Tokio Marine Insurance (M) Berhad stopped giving work to the Plaintiff because of the impugned email.

Quoted verbatim from the judgment of Court of Appeal (Mahkamah Rayuan) (p-02ncvcw-2112-11-2022). Read the full judgment on the official Malaysia Courts portal for the complete decision.

Catchwords

Defamation - After a full trial, the JC found the impugned email to be defamatory of the Plaintiff and rejected the defences of justification and qualified privilege. Thus, the JC allowed the Plaintiff’s claim and ordered the Defendants to pay RM300,000.00 as general damages (including aggravated and exemplary damages) with interest at 5% per annum from the date of filing of the Writ until full settlement, and an injunction restraining the Defendants (or their agents) from repeating or publishing the said libellous statements of and concerning the Plaintiff or words of like or similar effect - in Appeal 2197, the Plaintiff is appealing against the inadequacy of the damages - In Appeal 2112 the Defendants are appealing against the JC’s finding of liability that they had defamed the Plaintiff and in rejecting the defences of justification and qualified privilege. The Defendants have also appealed against the quantum of damages - claim not proven - appeal allowed

Practice Areas

Defamation Damages

Judges (3)

Choo Kah Sing Coram Mohd Nazlan bin Mohd Ghazali Coram S. Nantha Balan a/l E.s. Moorthy Delivered

Counsel (5)

Lim Kian Leong & Co Firm Subramaniam & Shafiq Firm Siva Subramaniam A/L M. Shanmugam Counsel Respondent Terence Chan Kah Meng Counsel Appellant Yeap Xi Jin Counsel Appellant

Parties (4)

ALLIANZ GENERAL INSURANCE COMPANY BERHAD Appellant Frances Joycelyn Nathan Appellant Jayapragash Amblavanar Appellant Siva Subramaniam a/l M. Shanmugam Respondent

Statutes Cited

Evidence Act 1950 (Cap 56)
Road Transport Act 1987 (Cap 333)
Rules of Court 2012

Cases Cited (34)

UK (4)
[1963] 2 All ER 151 [1972] 1 All ER 915 [1975] AC 135 [1999] 3 WLR 1010
MY (30)
[1973] 2 MLJ 56 [1999] 1 CLJ 461 [1999] 1 MLJ 371 [1999] 3 MLJ 138 [2000] 5 CLJ 475 [2000] 6 MLJ 204 [2005] 2 CLJ 645 [2005] 3 MLJ 485 [2006] 2 MLJ 700 [2008] 10 CLJ 169 [2008] 2 MLJ 931 [2014] 4 MLJ 242 [2014] 8 CLJ 337 [2015] 8 CLJ 477 [2015] 9 CLJ 821 [2016] 5 MLJ 113 [2016] MLJU 1317 [2017] 4 CLJ 572 [2017] 4 MLJ 611 [2019] 4 CLJ 301 [2021] 1 MLJ 303 [2021] 4 CLJ 327 [2021] 5 MLJ 79 [2022] 5 MLJ 825 [2022] 8 CLJ 175 [2022] AMEJ 1581 [2022] MLJU 3001 [2023] 2 MLJ 437 [2023] 8 CLJ 105 [2024] 4 MLJ 223

Judgment

Read the full judgment on the official Malaysia Courts portal.

Read on eJudgment

Source: eJudgment (p-02ncvcw-2112-11-2022)