Gov T To Pay The Edge Rm11 26m Over Suspension

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The Home Ministry and the government have been ordered to pay RM11.26 million to The Edge for the 2015 suspension over a series of reports on the 1MDB scandal
The order was made by Kuala Lumpur High Court registrar Norazlin Othman in chambers today
It is understood that The Edge Communications Sdn Bhd will be paid RM11,260,350 in compensatory damages, in addition to four percent annual interest from the date of suspension, July 27, 2015
The Edge was represented by Amanda Loh, and the government by federal counsel Shaiful Nizam Shahrin
Last year, the Federal Court dismissed the Home Ministry's appeal and ordered for the quantum of damages to be assessed by the High Court. "There is no merit in the appeal, as there was no appeal by the appellants (Home Ministry and its secretary-general) on liability (in this issue)," said Justice Zulkefli Ahmad Makinudin, who led the apex court bench at the time
High Court judge Nordin Hassan, however, later ordered the assessment to be made before the registrar and not himself
In 2015, then-home minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi had ordered the suspension of both The Edge Financial Daily and The Edge Weekly for three months over its reports on the 1MDB scandal
The order was lifted after just two months, however, when High Court judge Justice Asmabi Mohamed found no grounds for the suspension.  The decision was later upheld in the Court of Appeal and the Federal Court. Malaysiakini has contacted The Edge's lawyers for comment. - Mkini

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