PUTRAJAYA, July 14 — Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Federal Territories) Hannah Yeoh has described the Federal Court’s decision to reject former Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Musa Hassan’s application for leave to appeal as a long-awaited victory for justice after five years of legal proceedings.
Speaking to reporters outside the Federal Court on Tuesday, Yeoh expressed gratitude to the judiciary and her legal team for their efforts in seeing the case through to its conclusion.
She said the defamatory remarks had subjected her to years of personal attacks, including allegations targeting her religion and ethnicity, resulting in widespread misinformation and multiple police reports being lodged against her.
“I would like to thank the Court of Appeal and the Federal Court for delivering justice. For the past five years, I have had to endure numerous defamatory accusations arising from statements made by the former Inspector-General of Police,” she said.
The Segambut Member of Parliament added that the case should serve as a reminder that issues involving race and religion must not be exploited for political or personal purposes.
“Matters involving race, religion and ethnicity should never be manipulated. I hope today’s decision serves as a lesson to those who continue to play the race and religion card. This must stop,” she said.
Meanwhile, Yeoh’s lawyer, Datuk Razlan Hadri Zulkifli, said the court’s ruling reaffirmed that the truth had prevailed, with the judiciary holding Musa accountable for the defamatory statements.
Razlan stressed that while freedom of speech is a fundamental right, it must not be abused to spread falsehoods or make statements that threaten public harmony and national unity.
“This case is not about money. It is about restoring an individual’s reputation and ensuring Malaysia remains a safe country for everyone. People have the right to free speech, but they do not have the right to defame others or make statements that could undermine social cohesion and public security,” he said.
Earlier, the Federal Court upheld previous court decisions ordering Musa to pay RM250,000 in damages to Yeoh after a three-member panel led by Justice Datuk Rhodzariah Bujang unanimously dismissed his application for leave to appeal, bringing the five-year legal dispute to a close.
— MINUTESMY
