Rosmah obtains judgment in default against TikToker

Judge Datuk Ahmad Shahrir Mohd Salleh granted Rosmah's application, allowing the judgment in default after the defendant, Ku Muhammad Hilmie Ku Din, 34, failed to enter an appearance against the defamation suit.

General, aggravated and exemplary damages, however, will be assessed later by the court.

The proceedings were attended by lawyers Sureshmurti Ramani and Mohamed Baharudeen Mohamed Ariff, representing Rosmah.

Rosmah, who filed the lawsuit on September 19, 2023, claimed that the defendant uploaded a video on his TikTok account containing defamatory and false statements about her on March 22, 2023.

Rosmah alleged that the defamatory statements implied that she committed sinful acts, was involved in activities associated with the devil, 'bomoh' (shamans) and was a malicious individual who practises polytheism.

She claimed that these defamatory statements damaged her reputation as the wife of Malaysia's sixth prime minister and as a patron of charitable organisations in Malaysia.

Rosmah also claimed that the defamatory statements caused her to be viewed negatively by the public, ridiculed and insulted, thereby tarnishing her reputation as a prominent public figure.

She is seeking general, aggravated and exemplary damages, as well as any other relief deemed fit by the court.

-- BERNAMA