KUALA LUMPUR — Lawyers for Seputeh MP Teresa Kok are applying for a warrant for forced entry into the home of Umno leader Datuk Seri Jamal Md Yunos following his failure to pay RM50,000 in legal costs after losing a defamation suit to her.
Kok’s lawyer Datuk Sankara Nair said the court bailiff today attempted to execute the writ of seizure and sale for the costs but no one was at Jamal’s home.
“The execution was unsuccessful as no one was at the premise at the time of the execution. The execution is adjourned pending the Judgment Creditor obtaining a order of court for forced entry. The matter is fixed for case management,” Sankara said in a message to Scoop.
Sankara also clarified that the RM50,000 for costs was the outstanding payment as Jamal had paid the damages of RM300,000 to Kok who sued him for defamation in 2017 over the former’s claims that she misappropriated funds from a Selangor children’s charity fund.
The Sg Besar Umno division chief was ordered to pay both sums in 2022 when the high court ruled that he had defamed Kok.
The Court of Appeal in March this year upheld the decision, and the Federal Court in July rejected Jamal’s leave application to appeal the Court of Appeal’s ruling.
Detailing the morning’s events, Sankara said court bailiff Abu Sopian Zakaria had arrived at Jamal’s premises at 10.39am to find the main gate slightly opened, but without any one at the guard station of the house.
There was no answer despite pressing the bell and calling out several times.
“(The) court bailiff (said) the next step is to apply for a warrant for forced entry),” Sankara said.
Jamal, once a vocal activist for Umno and known for his stunts to make his point when criticising his political opponents, was hospitalised in January to undergo treatment for stage four lung cancer, after an earlier round of treatment in December 2023. – October 9, 2024