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UN seeks reimbursement from Malaysia over
rapporteur's libel suits
KUALA
LUMPUR, Dec 22 (AFP) - A UN special rapporteur facing libel suits in Malaysia
despite his legal immunity said Wednesday the world
body
had asked the government to pay his legal expenses of 110,886 dollars. UN
Secretary-General Kofi Annan submitted the claim in a letter last week, Param
Cumaraswamy told AFP.
Annan
also appealed to the Malaysian government to issue a certificate to give effect
to his legal immunity to avoid further financial burden on the UN
and
ultimately the government, Param said. "These
expenses have been accumulating since January 1997 and currently amount to
110,886.9 dollars," Annan said in his letter dated December 16,
a
copy of which was obtained by AFP. Param, a
Malaysian, is the UN special rapporteur on the independence of judges and
lawyers.
He faces
four libel suits totalling 426 million ringgit (112 million dollars) filed by
several companies over a 1995 article entitled "Malaysian Justice on
Trial."
The article appeared in a magazine published by Euromoney Plc. in London. The
International Court of Justice ruled in April that Param has legal immunity and
that he should be held "financially harmless" from any costs imposed
by
Malaysian courts. But
Malaysian courts have ruled that Param is not covered by the international
court's ruling.
His case
has attracted international concern. In October the US State Deparment
criticised a Malaysian court for refusing to recognise his legal
immunity.
It said
this raised serious questions over the fairness and impartiality of the
judiciary.
"My
lawyer fees are settled by the UN and they are claiming it from the Malaysian
government," Param said. "Kofi Annan is concerned that the legal
costs
are accumulating and Malaysia is not doing anything about it." He said
that his cases were due to be mentioned on January 20. One case is up for
appeal, in another two Param is seeking to strike out a writ on
the
grounds that he has immunity and another is up for hearing. "It has
been four years since all this started," Param said. "I hope it will all end
soon."
If he
loses, Param said the UN would pay the damages on his behalf and seek
reimbursement from the Malaysian government.
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