KUALA LUMPUR – The Kuala Terengganu Magistrate Court has issued an arrest warrant on the Editor of Sarawak Report, Clare Rewcastle-Brown today.
The arrest warrant was issued by Magistrate Nordiana Abd Aziz after Clare failed to attend the criminal defamation trial filed by the Sultanah of Terengganu, Sultanah Nur Zahirah.
Judge Nordiana also fixed 23 November for the mention of the case.
Clare is facing charges under Section 500 of the Penal Code over her writing in her book, The Sarawak Report: The Inside Story of the 1MDB Exposé that had mentioned “the wife of the Sultan”.
Sultanah Nur Zahirah filed the defamation suit against Clare and demanded RM100 million in general compensation on 21 November 2018.
According to the Sultanah, the writing had defamed her by alleging that she was involved in corruption and meddled with the administration of the Terengganu state government.
It also alleged that she used her status as the Sultanah to influence the Terengganu Investment Board (TIA), which was later known as 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB).
Sultanah Nur Zahirah also alleged that the statement carried the implications that she helped fugitive businessman, Low Taek Jho or Jho Low, to be appointed as the Advisor of TIA.
The prosecution was conducted by Deputy Public Prosecutor Engku Ahmad Rashdi Engku Abdillah, Noor Haslinda Che Seman and Nadia Zulkefli. – MalaysiaGazette
