15/07/2026

WEDNESDAY | JULY 15, 2026

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Rosmah sues comedian over remarks

o Lawsuit concerns alleged defamatory statements made during stand-up show

In his statement of defence filed on July 9, Harith denied that the performance portrayed Rosmah as a supernatural creature, frightening, evil, ugly, repulsive or inhumane, or carried any of the defamatory meanings alleged. He further argued that the TikTok videos were uploaded without his knowledge or consent and did not reflect the full context of the comedy performance. Rosmah’s counsel Mohamed Baharudeen Mohamed Ariff and Nur-Diana Ezlyn Hashim confirmed the lawsuit when contacted on Monday, adding that the next case management had been fixed online for July 31. Harith’s lawyer Sangeet Kaur Deo also confirmed the matter.

shaming remarks. “The alleged defamation had tarnished my dignity and public standing as the wife of Malaysia’s sixth prime minister, patron of several charitable organisations and associations, and a recipient of various domestic and international honours,” she said. Rosmah is seeking general, aggravated and exemplary damages, as well as an injunction to restrain Harith or his representatives from republishing the alleged defamatory statements. She is also seeking a written apology and retraction, to be published in two mainstream newspapers and on social media platforms approved by her or her solicitors.

frightening, before showing her image and implying that she was the frightening figure being referred to. Rosmah contended that the remarks suggested she was more frightening than a supernatural creature, capable of instilling fear in the public and deserving of ridicule and humiliation. She also claimed that two recordings of the performance were uploaded to TikTok by a user identified as @mayychan0303. One video received about 219,700 views and 3,354 likes, while the second attracted about 12,500 views and 145 likes. Rosmah alleged that the statements were made maliciously to damage her reputation and humiliate her through body

KUALA LUMPUR: Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor has filed a lawsuit against comedian and actor Harith Iskander, alleging that she was defamed and subjected to body shaming during a stand-up comedy performance at a hotel in Malacca in January. Rosmah, 74, filed the suit through Messrs Hafarizam & Aisha Mubarak at the Kuala Lumpur High Court on June 9, naming Harith Iskander Musa, 60, as the defendant. According to Rosmah’s statement of claim, the suit concerns Harith’s

stand-up show “Harith Iskander: The Outspoken Comedy Tour”, held on Jan 17, during which he allegedly displayed her image and made defamatory remarks before a large audience for comedic effect. Rosmah claimed Harith first showed an image of a mythical supernatural creature commonly associated with Malaysian folklore before displaying her photograph. She alleged that Harith told the audience anyone looking into their rear-view mirror while driving along a dark road would see something

Former IGP fails final appeal bid

PUTRAJAYA: The Federal Court yesterday dismissed former inspector-general of police Tan Sri Musa Hassan’s application for leave to appeal against a Court of Appeal ruling ordering him to pay RM250,000 in damages to Federal Territories Minister Hannah Yeoh in a defamation suit. A three-member panel comprising Justices Datuk Rhodzariah Bujang, Datuk Che Mohd Ruzima Ghazali and Datuk Azmi Ariffin unanimously rejected the application, holding that the nine proposed questions of law raised by Musa did not raise novel points warranting the apex court’s determination. “The leave is rejected as it failed to meet the high threshold required, was fact-sensitive and was not of public importance,”Justice Rhodzariah said. The panel also ordered Musa to pay RM50,000 in costs to Yeoh. To obtain leave to appeal to the Federal Court, an applicant must show that the proposed appeal raises novel legal or constitutional questions of public importance that have not been previously addressed and require further argument. In January, the Court of Appeal ruled in Yeoh’s favour and set aside the Kuala Lumpur High Court’s Dec 23, 2024 decision, which had dismissed her suit against Musa and ordered her to pay RM40,000 in costs. – Bernama Trader held over alleged sexual abuse MALACCA: A trader has been arrested on suspicion of involvement in 10 sexual abuse cases involving children between March and Monday. State police chief Datuk Dzulkhairi Mukhtar said the 36-year-old man was apprehended by members of the public at the Taman Desa Duyong community hall at about 6pm yesterday before being handed over to police. He said the cases involved 10 boys aged between eight and 13 from Duyong and Telok Mas. “The first investigation paper involves eight boys aged between eight and 12, with the incidents believed to have occurred between May and early this month at a playground near Duyong. “The suspect’s modus operandi was to approach the victims while they were at the playground or after prayers at a surau before committing the alleged acts,” he said in a statement. Dzulkhairi added that the suspect had been remanded for seven days from Monday, and the case is being investigated under Section 14(a) of the Sexual Offences Against Children Act 2017. – Bernama

ENFORCEMENT OPERATION ... Terengganu Immigration Department director Mohd Yusri Mohd Nor (fourth from left) and his officers questioning undocumented migrants during an integrated operation around Kuala Terengganu yesterday. – BERNAMAPIC

Kedah police bust fake work permit syndicate ALOR SETAR: Kedah police have busted a syndicate believed to have been issuing fake work permits and United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees cards, allegedly masterminded by foreigners. The suspect was believed to have taken advantage of foreigners by issuing fake work permits and UNHCR cards to those willing to pay between RM80 and RM250 for each document.

before preparing documents to enable them to work in the country. “All those arrested have been remanded until July 21 to assist investigations under the Immigration Act 1959/63, while police are also looking into further action, including under anti-money laundering laws.” In a related development, Adzli said there had been an increase in criminal cases involving Rohingya and Myanmar nationals in Kedah last year and in the first six months of this year. He said most of the reported cases involved disputes among members of the communities themselves and did not involve the local community. “In 2023, 17 cases involving 18 arrests were recorded, while in 2024, 14 cases with 23 arrests were recorded. “However, the number increased to 65 cases involving 75 arrests last year, while 39 cases were recorded in the first six months of this year. “The criminal cases involved murder and causing injury. For example, there were murder cases that stemmed from fights after drinking alcohol, as well as disputes that resulted in death.” – Bernama

“During the operation, police also seized 40 passports, 10 mobile phones, four laptops and one fake work permit. “Another main suspect, a Bangladeshi national who owns four computer shops in Kulim, Sungai Petani and Butterworth in Penang, has fled and is being tracked down by police. “Checks on the seized laptops found documents related to UNHCR applications, blank templates and software used to modify and produce fake documents for other foreigners,” he said. Adzli added that checks found the syndicate had used different identities on passports and UNHCR cards, although the photographs used were of the same individuals. “This syndicate is believed to have been operating since 2018. They were found to have brought in foreigners through illegal routes to avoid detection by enforcement authorities,

Kedah police chief Datuk Adzli Abu Shah said several raids were carried out by the Criminal Investigation Department around Kulim last month, leading to the arrest of 19 Bangladeshi men, three Rohingya men, a Rohingya woman and a local woman. The suspects are aged between 20 and 52. “The raids were carried out at four locations, namely a retail shop, a computer shop and a house used as temporary accommodation for foreigners. “Investigations found that the syndicate was run by a Bangladeshi national with valid travel documents, who is married to a 69-year-old local woman. “The main suspect is also believed to own a G7 construction company and a retail shop under his wife’s name, which were used to qualify for foreign worker applications legally,” he said at a press conference at the Kedah police contingent headquarters yesterday.