KUALA LUMPUR: Popular TV host and actress Neelofa has settled her defamation suit via mediation against two news portal operators over articles on her controversial move to launch her Be Lofa turban and shawl collection at a nightclub and on the National Women’s Icon Award.
The portal operators who had been sued by Neelofa, 29, or her real name Noor Neelofa Mohd Noor, in two separate suits were OMM Media Sdn Bhd and Rotikaya Media Sdn Bhd.
Deputy registrar Nurulizwan Ahmad Zubir who acted as the mediator recorded the terms of settlement after meeting the parties for the first time in a two-hour session today.
Neelofa, who was represented by counsel Wan Nurliyana Abd Rahman, was also present during the mediation process.
Speaking to reporters after the closed proceedings, counsel Aiman Ariff Abdul Azij who represented OMM Media said the parties have agreed to settle the suit amicably without trial.
“The articles were pertaining among others the launch of the plaintiff’s (Neelofa) hijab collection at Zouk and on the National Women’s Icon Award.
“These postings were the reason why the plaintiff had filed the suit,” he said.
Aiman added that the consent judgment between Neelofa and his client will be recorded before judicial commissioner Darryl Goon Siew Chye on a date that has yet to be fixed.
Meanwhile, lawyer Mohamad Lokman Hakim Abd Rahman who acted for Rotikaya, when contacted, said the consent judgment between the plaintiff and his client would be recorded before judicial commissioner Datuk Aliza Sulaiman on Nov 8.
Efforts by the press to get comments from the Meletop talk show host who was dressed in all black proved futile as she was seen rushing through the back door when she left the mediation center before entering a black BMW car that was waiting for her at the Courts Complex vicinity.
Neelofa had filed the suit against OMM Media in September claiming that two articles published by the defendant on its website www.ohmymedia.cc on March 5 and April 11, were defamatory statements against her and untrue.
She alleged that the articles by implication or innuendo accused her of having been rejected from receiving an award (Iconic Women Award) conferred by the government.
She also alleged that the defendant had implicated that she was an individual of bad morals and character and a hypocrite.
She claimed that the articles created the impression among right-thinking members of society that she was a person of questionable reputation and has exposed her to abuse from society.
Neelofa had also sued Rotikaya for publishing defamatory statements against her over similar issues.