Pengguna FB gagal tangguh bayaran RM300,000 kepada mufti Perlis

The High Court has denied a Facebook user's request to delay paying RM250,000 in damages to Mufti Perlis Asri Zainul Abidin due to alleged online posts linked to GISB Holdings Sdn Bhd (GISBH). Assistant Prosecutor Rihaida Rafie also rejected Nawawi Abdul Razak's plea to delay paying RM50,000. However, Rihaida allowed the 39-year-old defendant to delay his apology to Asri until the appeal hearing concludes.

The court granted the defendant's request to postpone his apology to the plaintiff until the Court of Appeal's decision is final. Lawyer Mahmud Abdul Jumaat earlier stated that the defendant's family is facing financial difficulties and needs time to obtain a loan for paying the damages and related costs. Mahmud also argued that if the defendant were required to apologize before his appeal is heard, it could harm his position in the case.

He also claimed that he has already withdrawn all contested payments linked to Asri and GISBH. Asri's lawyer, Fatima Zulaikha Ahmad Bashri, contested the plea by arguing that the defendant's financial situation cannot be considered a special circumstance to delay the payment. In July, the court dismissed the first of four statements submitted by Nawawi, ruling them as slanderous.

However, the court found Asri failed to prove three of the remaining statements met the legal criteria to be considered slander. Asri filed the lawsuit in October 2024, accusing Nawawi of publishing four statements containing slander, including describing him as a leader or supporter of the GISBH movement. The statements were also accused of suggesting Asri had a close relationship with the group and benefiting from GISBH by allowing sinful practices.

Nawawi, on the other hand, claimed Asri's claims were exaggerated, misleading, and designed to evoke sympathy from the court.