Coach’s defamation suit against Caprice to proceed to trial

Personal development coach Syed Murad Syed Naseem filed a defamation lawsuit against influencer Ariz Ramli, also known as Caprice, on August 4th last year. The High Court in Kuala Lumpur recently ruled that the case would proceed to a full trial after both parties were unable to reach a settlement through mediation. Syed Murad's attorney, M Reza Hassan, stated that his client did not agree to the proposed terms of settlement during the mediation session on July 31, which lasted nearly four hours.

The trial is set to be heard by judge Kan Weng Hin on September 7, during which the court will be updated on the filing of the cause papers. Syed Murad accused Caprice of posting false and malicious content on Instagram, claiming it portrayed him as involved in criminal activities and organized crime. He further alleged that the negative portrayal damaged his reputation and dignity, as Caprice is a highly influential figure with over 1.5 million followers on the platform.

In November last year, the High Court issued a consent order compelling Caprice to remove and withdraw nine defamatory statements from his Instagram account. Caprice subsequently complied and agreed not to republish, redistribute, or disseminate any of the alleged statements. Syed Murad voluntarily withdrew his interim injunction application against Caprice at that time, with no decision on costs.

However, the defamation suit remains active, and Syed Murad expressed his intention to proceed to a full trial to clear his name and restore his reputation.