00:01Businessman Albert Tay has denied defaming former Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission
00:05Chief Commissioner Azam Baki. In his defence filed at the Shah Alam High Court, Tay argued
00:10that his remarks were substantially true or amounted to fair comment and honest opinion
00:15on matters of public interest. Azam is suing over statements made during a podcast in May
00:21as well as later postings on social media and YouTube. Azam claims Tay accused him
00:27of manipulating MACC investigations, acting as an intermediary in a Sabah corruption
00:32matter, protecting politicians and trying to silence him. The former MACC chief also claims
00:39Tay alleged that he sought to secure the businessman's silence through compensation and a guarantee
00:44letter and influenced prosecutors to issue a no further action decision. Tay's defence
00:51argues that Azam selectively extracted parts of a 2-hour and 11-minute podcast while ignoring
00:57its wider context, chronology and explanations. Tay maintained that his remarks were criticism
01:03and opinion on the conduct of a senior public officer, tied to governance and accountability.
01:09Azam has denied the allegations as false and malicious and is seeking damages, a declaration
01:15that the statements were defamatory and an injunction to stop Tay from repeating them. Tay is opposing
01:21the injunction, arguing that it would restrict his constitutional right to free speech and weaken
01:27public scrutiny of senior public officials. The court has directed both sides to file their
01:33pre-trial documents before the next case management on November 11th. Amadeep Gill, FMT.
01:39The court has directed both sides to the
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