Ali Puteh fails in appeal to set aside sister-in-law's suit

KUALA LUMPUR: Comedian Ali Puteh today failed in his appeal to set aside the decision of the Sessions Court regarding the RM60,000 in damages that must be paid to his sister-in-law Siti Nor Hidayah Mohd Ali for defaming her on social media, two years ago.

Lawyer Noorazmir Zakaria, who represented Ali Puteh, whose real name is Syed Ali Mubarak Syed Mohd Ridzuan, said High Court Judicial Commissioner Datuk Ahmad Shahrir Mohd Salleh rejected the comedian's appeal with a cost of RM5,000.

In addition, Ahmad Shahrir also rejected the appeal of Siti Nor Hidayah, who is the widow of comedian Abam Bocey, to increase the amount of damages ordered by the Sessions Court.

"Syed Ali and three members of his family's appeal to set aside the decision of the Sessions Court which dismissed their defamation suit against cosmetics entrepreneur Datuk Seri Aliff Syukri Kamarzaman and Siti Nor Hidayah was also rejected with the same cost (RM5,000)," said the lawyer when contacted after today's proceedings conducted online.

Meanwhile, Noorazmir said he has not received further instructions from his client whether to appeal against today's decision.

On Feb 18, the Sessions Court ruled in Siti Nor Hidayah's favour over a suit she filed against her brother-in-law over a derogatory statement on his Instagram account on Feb 10, 2020.

On Aliff Syukri's involvement, Judge Zulqarnain Hassan said the court was satisfied that the entrepreneur had no malicious intent to conspire with the deceased's wife to defame the plaintiffs.

Siti Nor Hidayah filed the suit in May 2020 over statements made by Ali Puteh on his Instagram account, among others, describing the woman as an evil wife and greedy for her husband's inheritance.

-- BERNAMA