THE Kuala Lumpur High Court today ordered blogger Papagomo, also known as Wan Muhammad Azri Wan Deris, to remove, within 24 hours, a video clip allegedly containing defamatory statements against Religious Affairs Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Dr Mohd Na’im Mokhtar, from his Facebook. 

Lawyer Akberdin Abdul Kadir, representing Na’im as the plaintiff, said Judicial Commissioner Leong Wai Hong had granted the minister’s ex-parte application in online proceedings today.

The injunction is to prevent Wan Muhammad Azri, as the defendant, from publishing, broadcasting, sharing, re-publishing, or re-sharing the defamatory video dated September 18, along with a six-minute 41-second video clip taken from the TikTok account @nurhafizulbadrulhisham from the defendant’s Facebook page in any way.

“It is also to prevent the defendant or his agents from publishing, broadcasting, and sharing similar defamatory statements that have an impact similar to the statement, in addition to removing it within 24 hours,” the lawyer said.

The court also fixed November 7 to hear an application for an inter-parte injunction filed by both parties.

Na’im, who filed the lawsuit on October 19, claimed that Wan Muhammad Azri published a post on his Facebook account under the name “Sir Azri” on September 18.

The plaintiff alleged that the defamatory statement implied, among other things, that the plaintiff, as the religious affairs minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, had not taken positive action for the welfare of Islam, as the plaintiff has sexual allegations against him, and is a faith opportunist who does not care for the stability of the Malay-Muslim community in Malaysia.

He said the defamatory statement had damaged his reputation, dignity and status in the eyes of the public. – Bernama, October 30, 2023.