KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 7 — Umno’s Datuk Seri Jamal Md Yunos today formally apologised to Ampang PKR MP Zuraida Kamaruddin in court for alleging that she and her supporters had punched him.
He admitted that he had falsely accused her and her supporters of punching him in an incident that took place in Ampang, Selangor, November last year.
Jamal, the leader of Malay right-wing group dubbed the “Red Shirts”, read out a statement of regret before High Court Judge S Nantha Balan earlier today after both parties reached a settlement during mediation.
“I had made the allegation while I was angry at the plaintiff, therefore I regret uttering those words. I hereby declare that I retract the allegation made against YB Zuraida Kamaruddin amid a tense situation at Ampang Point Mall,” Jamal said in reading out the statement.
“I promise not to repeat the allegation in relation to the November 13, 2016, incident ever again,” he added.
Jamal, who is also Sungai Besar Umno chief, read out the statement in the presence of Zuraida. The Umno leader will also pay the PKR MP an undisclosed sum of money as compensation as part of the settlement.
Zuraida had filed a defamation suit against Jamal on November 17, 2016, after the Red Shirt leader accused her and her supporters of punching him in the nose in a scuffle between his followers and PKR supporters that took place four days earlier.
The incident happened after Jamal’s men confronted Zuraida and her supporters at the Ampang Point Mall while the latter was campaigning for the Bersih 5 rally.
The Umno leader’s nose was bloodied during the confrontation. He was caught on video blaming the police for the injury initially, but later claimed it was the work of Zuraida and her supporters.
