The defamation suit filed by Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil against Facebook account owner “N13 Kuang”, Mohd Fauzan Madzlan, over allegations linked to a political speech at a mosque in Rawang, Selangor, has been resolved at the High Court.
Counsel Fahri Azzat, representing Fahmi, informed Judge Datuk Raja Ahmad Mohzanuddin Shah Raja Mohzan that both parties had reached a settlement and agreed to a consent judgment. The agreement was later confirmed by defence counsel Mohammed Zamri Ibrahim.
The court subsequently recorded the consent judgment, officially concluding the case.
During a press briefing, Fahmi’s lawyer Asheeq Ali Sethi Alivi said the settlement included two key terms agreed by both sides. The defendant expressed regret over a Facebook posting dated 31 July 2023 relating to the issue and acknowledged that the minister’s speech was not political campaigning or politically charged.
He also clarified that Fahmi’s speech on 30 July 2023 at Masjid Nurul Yaqin in Kampung Melayu Seri Kundang, Rawang, during the Selangor state election period, was not a campaign speech and should not have been interpreted as such.
Fahmi welcomed the resolution, expressing appreciation for the defendant’s acknowledgment and the amicable settlement. He also noted that he would await developments on two other related defamation cases.
The minister had also filed separate suits against independent preacher Ahmad Dusuki Abd Rani and blogger Wan Muhammad Azri Wan Deris, known as “Papagomo”, over similar allegations.
In the original claims filed in September 2023, Fahmi alleged that all three defendants published defamatory statements accusing him of misusing a place of worship for political campaigning and acting against the Sultan of Selangor’s decree. He maintained the claims were baseless, with the Selangor Islamic Religious Council confirming no political campaigning took place.
