Subject: [keadilan_eberita] [MT-news] Anwar wins libel damages over
book
(AP) -- Malaysia's former Deputy Prime
Minister Anwar Ibrahim won libel damages totaling 4.5 million ringgit ($1.2
million) Thursday from an author who wrote a book accusing him of sexual
misconduct.
Anwar had sued Khalid Jafri for writing "50 Reasons Why Anwar Ibrahim
Cannot Become Prime Minister," which was published in mid-1998 while Anwar
was serving as deputy to then-prime minister Mahathir Mohamad and helped lead
to his ouster in September that year.
High Court Judge Hishamuddin Yunus ordered Khalid to pay Anwar damages for
making a "vicious and venomous public attack" against Anwar in the
book, which was widely circulated among members of the ruling United Malays
National Organization in which Anwar was deputy leader.
But Anwar's lawyers conceded that he might never receive the sum, because
Khalid, a former newspaper editor, has been hospitalized for chronic diabetes
since early this month and is reportedly in critical condition after having his
leg amputated.
Anwar stressed that the money was "never an issue" for him, noting
that this was the first legal verdict that backed his claims that he had been
the victim of a political conspiracy.
"I am happy I am vindicated completely in this judgment," Anwar, Malaysia's
most charismatic dissident politician, told reporters. "It is a matter of
honor and truth."
Hishamuddin indicated he agreed with Anwar's claim that Khalid was paid to
write the book by Anwar's enemies in the ruling party seeking to destroy his
reputation and topple him in 1998.
"The defendant and others who conspired with the defendant achieved their
purpose," Hishamuddin said, noting that Anwar's "political career was
ruined as a result of the publication of the book."
It was the one of the biggest libel damages awarded in Malaysia in recent years, and
marked Anwar's second court victory this month after he won an apology and
undisclosed damages from the country's ex-police chief who assaulted him in
custody in 1998.
Khalid, 65, was recently sentenced to a year in prison for publishing false
information in his book but his sentence was postponed pending an appeal.
Anwar was arrested after leading street protests against Mahathir in September
1998. He was sentenced to prison terms totaling 15 years before a successful
appeal against the sodomy charge set him free last year. He had already served
the corruption sentence.
The criminal conviction bars Anwar from holding public office until 2008, but
the charismatic politician has vowed to work with his wife's opposition group
and other activists to push for wider democratic rights and to fight
corruption.
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