PM obtains court order for Lokman Adam to remove defamatory statement on social media

KUALA LUMPUR: Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob today obtained an interim injunction from the High Court here for Datuk Lokman Noor Adam to delete immediately all videos on his social media accounts that allegedly defamed the prime minister.

Lawyer Ragunath Kesavan, representing Ismail Sabri, said this followed a decision by Judicial Commissioner Roz Mawar Rozain in allowing an ex parte application by his client, who is UMNO vice-president.

"The court issued an injunction to compel the defendant to remove a video, with the title 'Bila Presiden UMNO Panggil Tak Datang! Tapi PM Ada Masa Jumpa Mahathir - Lokman Adam' which was uploaded on the defendant's YouTube, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok accounts.

"The court also issued an injunction to prevent the defendant either himself or his agents from making similar statements on social media or any other website belonging to the defendant," he said when met by reporters after the proceeding, which was held in chambers.

According to Kesavan, the ex-parte order was issued today pending the inter-parte hearing on Sept 26.

Ismail Sabri, 62, applied for the injunction in a suit he filed against Lokman, 49, last Sept 8.

The prime minister, who is UMNO vice-president, filed the suit in his personal capacity. He named Lokman as the sole defendant in the suit.

In the statement of claim, Ismail Sabri, 62, stated that Lokman had on Aug 22 made defamatory statements against him in a video, with the title "Bila Presiden UMNO Panggil Tak Datang! Tapi PM Ada Masa Jumpa Mahathir - Lokman Adam" (When Called by UMNO President, He Doesn't Come! But the PM Has Time to See Mahathir - Lokman Adam).

He claimed the malicious, defamatory and untrue statements were uploaded on four social media accounts belonging to the defendant, namely "Lokman Adam" Youtube, "Lokman Noor Adam Official" Facebook, "lokmanooradam" Instagram and "datoklokmanadam" Tik Tok.

According to Ismail Sabri, the words meant, among other things, that he had met with Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and planned or intended to plan with the former prime minister and other opposition political parties to remain as prime minister by turning his back and betraying UMNO.

Ismail Sabri claimed that he had never met with Dr Mahathir and other political parties for the purpose nor was engaged in unprincipled measures to prevent the dissolution of Parliament for a general election to be held so that he could remain as prime minister.

He is seeking general and exemplary damages, as well as interest, costs and other relief deemed fit by the court.

Last Sept 1, Lokman pleaded not guilty in the Sessions Court here to two charges of making and initiating offensive communications against Ismail Sabri and the government through a Facebook application under the profile name "Lokman Noor Adam Official".

The offences were allegedly committed last Aug 20 and 22.

-- BERNAMA