KUALA LUMPUR – The High Court here has ordered former senator Datuk Seri Daljit Singh Dalliwal to pay Tan Sri Mohamad Salim Fateh Din a total of RM275,000 following rulings in favour of the Malaysian Resources Corporation Bhd (MRCB) executive vice-chairman across two separate suits.
High Court Judge Roz Mawar Rozain ordered Daljit to pay RM100,000 in damages after finding him liable for defamation, alongside RM75,000 in legal costs.
She also granted an injunction on July 30, restraining Daljit from repeating the defamatory statements against Salim.
Salim initiated defamation proceedings in June 2023, claiming that Daljit had uttered and published the defamatory phrase “Salim cheated me” in Bahasa Melayu to lawyer Selva Kumar Mookiah in 2021.
According to the statement of claim, Daljit followed up the utterance with a text message containing defamatory remarks about Salim to Selva the following morning.
Salim further alleged that in April 2023, Daljit made another defamatory statement directed to the then-managing editor of a local news portal.
The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) chairman contend that Daljit’s statements implied he was untrustworthy, a cheat, fraudster, and liar who engaged in illegal and immoral activities, thereby damaging his personal and professional standing.
In his counterclaim, which was reinstated by the Court of Appeal in 2024, Daljit argued that the statements were taken out of context.
However, Roz Mawar dismissed the counterclaim, ruling that the defences of justification and qualified privilege failed to be established.
In a separate lawsuit heard before the same judge, Daljit, who serves as the People’s Progressive Party (MyPPP) treasurer-general, was ordered to repay an outstanding loan amounting to RM100,000 to Salim.
Salim was represented by counsel Dhinesh Bhaskaran, while Harjinder Singh appeared for Daljit. – August 5, 2026