THE Kuching High Court today ordered Vernon Kedit to pay Douglas Uggah Embas RM200,000 in general and aggravated damages after finding him guilty of defaming the Sarawak deputy chief minister.

The former state PKR information chief called Uggah a “liar” and “traitor” in the PK Sarawak State Media WhatsApp group last year.

Judge Ravinthran Paramaguru, who delivered the verdict in chambers, also ordered Kedit, who is now a special officer to Works Minister Baru Bian, to pay RM40,000 in legal costs.

He allowed Uggah’s injunction to prevent Kedit and his “agent or servants” from publishing or causing to be published the defamatory words in any manner.

The deputy chief minister, who had sought RM1 million in aggravated damages, was not present for the verdict’s delivery, as he is reportedly on a work trip to London. However, members of his Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu and ministry showed up.

Kedit, too, was not present.

Uggah took Kedit to court after the latter refused to retract his remarks, which were part of a statement on the amended Sarawak Land Code.

Kedit, questioning the mechanism used to convert native customary rights land into native territorial domain, also said Uggah was “lying” about the interpretation of the said rights.

During trial, Uggah said he, as a public figure, is often criticised, but no one has defamed him like Kedit did.

Kedit, meanwhile, said he relied on “qualified privilege and fair comments”. – December 4, 2019.