KUALA LUMPUR: Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin has filed an appeal against a recent High Court decision, which ordered him to pay RM1.35 million in damages for defaming DAP chairman Lim Guan Eng.
In a document sighted by the New Sunday Times, the Pagoh member of Parliament and former prime minister filed the appeal through his counsel Tetuan Chetan Jethwani & Company at the Court of Appeal on Friday.
Lim's lawyer, Guok Ngek Seong, confirmed the matter.
"Yes, confirmed," he said in a brief reply via WhatsApp to the NST today (Nov 10).
It was reported that the High Court on Friday ordered Muhyiddin to pay RM1.35 million in damages for defaming Lim over the revocation of AlBukhary Foundation's tax exemption.
High Court Judicial Commissioner Roz Mawar Rozain, in her ruling, said that Lim had successfully proven his case against Muhyiddin.
Lim claimed that the allegedly defamatory statements implied that he had abused his position and power, when he was the finance minister, by authorising or directing the Inland Revenue Board to impose taxes and penalties on the charitable foundation, when it should not have been taxed.
The judge in her ruling said Muhyiddin's conduct was unwarranted as he had resources at his disposal to verify and confirm whether his understanding was correct on fact.