The High Court has dismissed Universiti Utara Malaysia lecturer Kamarul Zaman Yusoff’s bid to stay the execution of a judgment requiring him to pay RM480,000 in damages and costs to youth and sports minister Hannah Yeoh.
Yeoh’s counsel Sangeet Kaur Deo told the media that judicial commissioner Avinder Singh Gill had ruled that there were no special circumstances to warrant the stay.
The matter was heard in chambers this morning.
“The court dismissed the application with costs of RM2,500,” she said.
On May 30, the High Court ordered Kamarul to pay Yeoh RM400,000 in damages and RM80,000 in legal costs for defaming her in two Facebook posts published in 2017.
Kamarul filed his appeal from the decision in June but delayed in seeking the stay.
His failure to effect payment, despite repeated demands made on Yeoh’s behalf, saw the Segambut MP initiate bankruptcy proceedings.
Kamarul filed his application to stay the execution of the judgment last month.
Sangeet said Kamarul’s lawyer, Khairul Azam Abdul Aziz, raised the bankruptcy issue in court today. However, she said the court held that it did not amount to special circumstances and should be dealt with by the insolvency court.
Khairul later told reporters that he would seek further instructions from his client.
