THE Attorney General’s Department (AGC) has once again rejected the letter of representation from Sarawak Report editor Clare Rewcastle-Brown to drop the criminal defamation charge against her over alleged statements made against the Sultanah of Terengganu Sultanah Nur Zahirah through the book “The Sarawak Report – The Inside Story of the 1MDB Expose”. 

The AGC made its decision clear through a letter submitted to Messrs. Guok Partnership, the representatives for Rewcastle-Brown, via email today. 

Based on a copy of the letter obtained by the media, the AGC decided that there was sufficient evidence to retain the existing charge against the accused. 

The AGC stated the decision was final and any further letters of representation from the accused would not be entertained unless new developments warranted a review. 

Both Deputy Public Prosecutor Noor Haslinda Che Seman and Rewcastle-Brown’s counsel Guok Ngek Seong confirmed the matter.  

On January 25, the AGC rejected Rewcastle-Brown’s letter of representation before a second letter was filed on March 8. 

The letter was filed following the decision of the High Court on October 31 last year that rejected the defamation suit filed by Sultanah Nur Zahirah against the British journalist over the alleged defamation involving the Terengganu Investment Authority in the book. 

In the letter of representation, Rewcastle-Brown said the High Court had ruled that the paragraph in the book was not defamatory, hence the prosecution would face difficulty in proving the case beyond a reasonable doubt in the criminal case. 

On September 23, 2021, Rewcastle-Brown was charged in absentia at the Kuala Terengganu Magistrate’s Court under Section 500 of the Penal Code, which carries a maximum jail sentence of two years, or a fine, or both, if convicted. 

Rewcastle-Brown’s application to transfer the case to the High Court will be heard before Judge K. Muniandy on May 15. – Bernama, April 3, 2023.