FORMER Penang deputy chief minister P. Ramasamy has paid Zakir Naik RM1.52 million in damages for defaming the controversial Islamic preacher. 

Zakir’s lawyer Akberdin Abdul Kader confirmed receiving the payment from Ramasamy, saying that the transaction was done on November 17. 

“The money was paid on November 17,” Akberdin told the media today, adding that the funds are now being held in the client account maintained by the law firm acting for Zakir. 

The senior lawyer also said that the RM1.52 million can be transferred to plaintiff Zakir if the Court of Appeal later dismisses Ramasamy’s appeal against the defamation ruling. 

On November 2, the Kuala Lumpur High Court found Ramasamy guilty of defaming the preacher and ordered the defendant to pay RM1.45 million in damages and RM70,000 in costs to the plaintiff.

The amount comprised RM1 million for general damages, RM100,000 for compensatory damages, RM100,000 for aggravated damages, and RM250,000 for exemplary damages.

Judge Hayatul Akmal Abdul Aziz also ordered Ramasamy to make a public apology to Zakir. 

Ramasamy later filed an appeal in the appellate court against the entire defamation ruling. 

He then launched a crowdfunding campaign to pay Zakir and successfully managed to raise the intended amount. 

Earlier today, during open-court proceedings before Hayatul, Ramasamy’s counsel Razlan Hadri informed the court that his client is withdrawing a bid to stay the ruling for the apology, pending disposal of the appeal.

“Parties have come to some sort of compromise and we (with Ramasamy) would like to withdraw both enclosures (stay on apology) with no order as to costs,” Razlan said. 

Akberdin then confirmed with the court about the matter. However, the terms for the withdrawal remained confidential.

In 2019, Zakir filed two separate suits against Ramasamy over the latter’s public statements: one linked to the preacher’s controversial ceramah in Kota Baru, Kelantan, on August 8, 2019, and the other about the 2019 mass arrests linked to alleged attempts to revive the defunct militant group Liberation Tamil Tigers of Eelam. – December 1, 2023.