KUALA LUMPUR, — A businessman has filed a lawsuit against Badrul Hisham Shaharin, or "Chegubard ", and Taman Medan Assemblyman Dr Afif Bahardin to claim damages of RM1 million from each of them for defamation.

Datuk Farhash Wafa Salvador Rizal Mubarak filed the suit separately against the two men at the High Court here last January 22 through the legal firm of Messrs Ahmad Deniel, Ruben & Co.

Based on documents obtained by the media, Farhash, in the statement of claim, stated that Badrul Hisham had made a defamatory statement at a press conference on November 24 last year stating that he (Farhash) was the director-general of the Malaysian External Intelligence Organisation (MEIO) which runs the national intelligence agency and had all the confidential information on the country’s assets.

He also alleged that Afif, who is the Selangor Perikatan Nasional (PN) secretary, had defamed him through a media statement on November 15, 2023, by saying that he had a wild character and was not fit to be a government officer.

According to Farhash, who is the chairman and director of several companies including 7-Eleven Malaysia Holdings Berhad and Apex Equity Holdings Berhad, the defamatory statements, which were published on TikTok and WhatsApp, were an embarrassment and could tarnish his reputation.

Therefore, he is seeking, among others, an injunction order to prevent the two defendants or their agents from repeating or republishing the defamatory statement.

The plaintiff also requested the two defendants to withdraw the slanderous statement and make an apology which should be published in the electronic media and newspapers of the plaintiff’s choice.

Farhash is also claiming special damages of RM1 million from each defendant, as well as general damages, compensatory and exemplary damages, interest and costs as deemed appropriate by the court.

The court has set March 25 for case management. — Bernama