PUTRAJAYA: The decision made by the Penang High Court ordering the state chief minister Lim Guan Eng to pay Penang opposition leader Datuk Jahara Hamid has given her justice to her claim of not being a racist.
Jahara, who was awarded RM500,000 in damages over Lim’s defamatory "racist grandmother" remark, said such things should never be uttered to anyone.
Speaking to reporters here, Jahara reminded leaders to be more mindful when commenting about people, as their position does not give the right to condemn people.
“I do not think people should make such remarks to anyone. Condemning and putting people down are things we should not be practicing.
“The decision has given me back my honour as the state opposition leader, Umno and Barisan Nasional member as well as a woman. I would like the chief minister to apologies over the statement he made, as I was not championing any race but merely the helping the petty traders,” she said.
She added the state government should be fairer while carrying out their enforcement duties without practicing any prejudice against the different groups or places.
It was reported Judge Datuk Nordin Hassan ordered Lim to pay interest of five per cent per annum from the day of the judgement was granted until the damages was fully paid together with RM40,000 in legal cost.
He also granted an injunction to prevent Lim from further repeating the remark and ordered Lim to retract his statement reported in the media.
Jahara sued Lim for calling her a “racist grandmother” at a press conference after the state assembly sitting on Dec 9, 2013.