RAC sues Chegubard for defamation, secures interim injunction

The Malaysian Railway Assets Corporation (RAC) has filed a lawsuit against activist Badrul Hisham Shaharin, also known as Chegubard, alleging that the corporation sold railway assets as scrap metal before renting them out again, resulting in a billion-ringgit cost. RAC also obtained an interim injunction from the High Court in Seremban to prevent Badrul from repeating the alleged false claims and to order the removal of the video containing the statement from social media.

Lawyers David Mathew and Chong Jen Hui represented RAC at the recent hearing, which is scheduled to hear arguments from both sides regarding the request for the interim injunction. Badrul's attorney Amirul Ar Rashid Azman requested more time to submit his affidavit of response, after which the court set a date of January 20, 2027, to hear the arguments and grant the interim injunction.

The injunction bars Badrul from publishing or disseminating the statement, including the claim that railway assets were sold as scrap metal and the railway strategic assets project (RSS) was awarded without proper acquisition procedures. RAC's complaint, as reported by FMT, alleges that the claim originated from Badrul's speech at a PAS event in Kemaman, Terengganu, on September 25.

RAC asserts that the claim is false and does not reflect the true scope or execution of the RSS project, which involves 44 locomotives and 246 cargo sheds under the 25-year levy scheme with the Malaysian Railway Bhd (KTMB) estimated to cost RM4.4 billion. RAC claims the assets were sold to be refurbished and continue to be used in railway services, rather than as scrap metal.

RAC seeks a declaration of the statement's offensive nature, an apology, compensation, and the injunction remains in place to prevent the repetition of the claim.