Entertainer Mizal Zaini or better known as AC Mizal, his wife Emylia Rosnaida Abdul Hamid and two others have filed a RM25 million suit against Utusan Melayu (M) Sdn Bhd and three others.

AC Mizal, 45, Emylia Rosnaida, 43, Rashidi Ishak, 43, and private Internet radio broadcasting company, Peace Yall Sdn Bhd, filed the suit on March 30.

The plaintiffs are the company’s president, vice-president and chief executive officer respectively while Utusan Melayu entertainment reporter Syed Musaddad Syed Mahdi, Mingguan Malaysia former editor Ku Seman Ku Hussein, Utusan Melayu editor-in-chief Abdul Aziz Ishak and Utusan Melayu were named as defendants.

According to the statement of claim, all of the plaintiffs claimed that Syed Musaddad through Mingguan Malaysia’s Pancaindera pullout, had libelled them in an article titled ‘Peace Yall FM Tak Bayar Gaji’.

They claimed that the article had implied that they were irresponsible, careless, and a negligent employer, president, businessmen, members of the public and individuals towards their employees.

The plaintiffs also claimed that the article had portrayed them as having bad financial or business and cannot be reliable, and also being burdened by severe financial debt until they cannot afford to pay the salary of their employees.

As a result, they said their reputation and good name in the business and entertainment industry had been hit hard.

They are asking for RM15 million in general damages for libel, RM10 million in aggravated damages, costs and other relief deemed fit by the court.

The plaintiffs’ lawyer, Ahmad Shahrir Baharuddin, told reporters after the proceedings in chambers today that Judge Abu Bakar Jais had advised them to try to resolve the civil dispute via mediation.

He said the court set tomorrow for case management.

All of the defendants were represented by Ooi She Yi.

- Bernama