Fazura claims to have lost RM1m contract because of a newspaper article

2009/11/09

KUALA LUMPUR: Actress Nor Fazura Sharifudin told the High Court here today that she failed to get a contract, worth RM1 million, due to an article published in a tabloid newspaper.

Nor Fazura, 26, or popularly known as Fazura, said when an article, headlined "Fazura Rela Dipenjara" was published by the newspaper on May 29, 2005, she was in the process of negotiations with Maybelline, Loreal, Bonia, Clarins, Biotherm, Brands, Celcom and Hotlink.

However, she could not provide documents to prove of the said impending contracts she would get from the eight brand names.

She also said that the publication of the article also caused her to lose a contract, worth RM100,000, which she had signed with Olay, but said she did not have the document for it.

Fazura was testifying in a defamation suit which she filed against Perdana Production House Sdn Bhd, which is the publisher of Mingguan Warta Perdana, and reporter Haslinda Hashim, over the article which she claimed had tarnished her image.

The article concerned her court case where she was charged with assaulting housewife Gerardine Mariana Wong. Fazura was subsequently acquitted by the Magistrate Court here of the offence on Sept 22 last year.

Questioned by her counsel, Fakhrul Azman Abu Hassan, Fazura denied having uttered words like she was not afraid of being punished if she was found guilty of the offence.

"I was ashamed because the statement tarnished my image as an actress. I was also worried that the article would affect my acting offers," she added.

To a question by counsel Shaari Nor, who represented both defendants, Fazura said she used to receive many offers before the article was published.

She also said that during her telephone conversation with Haslinda, her friend, Mohd Hanafiah Abdul Majid, 35, was with her (Fazura) and heard what she said.

Meanwhile, Haslinda, 31, testified that she took down notes of her conversation with Fazura and that what was published in the newspaper was true.

She said the editor of the newspaper, Zuraidah Abdul Halim, was with her and heard her conversation with Fazura.

Haslinda, who is no longer with the newspaper, said that it was no true that Fazura lost many acting offers after the article was published.

Zuraidah, 41, who also testified today, said she had used "Fazura rela dipenjara" as the headline merely to give the article some ''ummp'' and "wow" factor to attract readers.

Hearing before judge Datuk Balia Yusof Wahi continues tomorrow. - Bernama