Ramasamy ends defamation suit against consumer activist
GEORGE TOWN : Former Penang deputy chief minister P Ramasamy has reached a settlement in his defamation suit against consumer activist K Koris Atan.
Ramasamy had sued Koris over comments in an article published by news portal The Vibes last year, which the activist had said was based on a 'personal conversation' with a reporter.
The suit was over claims that Ramasamy, as chairman of the Penang Hindu Endowments Board at the time, had failed to improve access to the hilltop Murugan temple here, such as by introducing a cable car or elevator.
The sessions court dismissed the suit in December and ordered Ramasamy to pay Koris RM10,000 in costs, which Ramasamy then appealed.
In a consent order recorded via Zoom before Justice Kenneth St James, Ramasamy agreed to withdraw the appeal and said that accepted Koris' assertion that he did not make the remarks published in the article.
As part of the settlement, Ramasamy agreed to discontinue the appeal against Koris with no liberty to file afresh.
The Vibes and its journalist Ian McIntyre, who were also named in the original suit, had previously settled with Ramasamy, issued an apology, and removed the article.
The consent order was signed by Shamsher Singh Thind for Ramasamy and P Thannarasu for Koris.
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