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FORMER Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak and Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad reached an amicable settlement after two days of trial at the Kuala Lumpur High Court.
This after Najib clarified that a Facebook post at the centre of a RM5 million libel suit was not intended to defame Dr Dzulkefly.
Judge Mahazan Mat Taib recorded the settlement on the third day of trial and thanked both parties for coming to an amicable resolution.
Najib, in a statement, told the court that the post on Aug 24, 2020, was not meant to imply that the health minister practised nepotism or was involved in cronyism.
This was in relation to the appointment of Dr Dzulkefly’s daughter, Nurul Iman, to Amanah Ikhtiar Malaysia’s board of trustees in October 2018.
Dr Dzulkefly had also served as health minister from May 2018 to February 2020.
Najib said that his post was a political commentary on matters of public discourse and political debate and that it was published strictly in his capacity and duty as an MP.
The suit, filed by Dr Dzulkefly in January 2022, alleged that Najib had uploaded a defamatory post on his Facebook page on Aug 24, 2020, regarding the issue of cronyism.
Najib, in his statement of defence filed on March 29, 2022, contended that the post was not directed at Dzulkefly but at the Pakatan coalition.
The judge thanked all parties for settling the suit, saying it reflected Najib’s responsibility in restoring dignity to those affected by his remarks.
No order as to costs was made. – April 9, 2026