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Lawsuit Settled With An Apology From Pehin Aziz

Bandar Seri Begawan - In a settlement reached sometime last week Pehin Orang Kaya Laila Wijaya Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Abdul Aziz bin Begawan Pehin Udana Khatib Dato Seri Paduka Haji Awang Umar apologised to Brunei Press Sdn Bhd, the publishers of Borneo Bulletin and its Editor-in-Chief, Rex de Silva for a defamatory story in the now defunct News Express newspaper.

The defamatory words were made in the News Express on December 25, 2001 under the headline 'Support Global Evergreen, Don't Criticize."

Brunei Press and Rex de Silva who found some statements in the News Express report to be defamatory and untrue filed a lawsuit against Pehin Aziz who was the Chairman of Global Evergreen Sdn Bhd at the time of the publication.

The suit also mentioned News Express reporter Nanju Fransisco and its publishers as second and third defendants.

In the settlement that was finalised following proceedings that lasted nearly five years, Pehin Aziz unconditionally and unreservedly retracted all statements contained in the said publication which were attributed to him and regretted that the statements were published.

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Pehin also stated: "I was acting in my capacity as Chairman of Global Evergreen Sdn Bhd when the statements contained in said publication which were attributed to me were made.

"I am made to understand that the said publication was defamatory and caused the publishers of Borneo Bulletin, Brunei Press Sdn Bhd and its Editor in Chief Rex de Silva grave distress, embarrassment as well as grave and serious imputations against their journalistic integrity and honesty.

"I further confirm that the allegations and suggestions defamatory of Brunei Press and Rex de Silva in the said publication are wholly untrue and without basis. "I am sincerely sorry for the grave distress and embarrassment suffered by Brunei Press Sdn Bhd and Rex de Silva as a result of the said publication."

The defamatory report in the News Express appeared during the height of the so called Amedeo crisis.

News Express in its defamatory story reported that Pehin Aziz had alleged that Borneo Bulletin was `not only writing negative reports about Global Evergreen, but also presented wrong facts Pehin was further quoted as saying,

"They are doing it in such a way that the developments of His Majesty's projects become negative in the eyes of the public."

It was also reported that the Chairman of Global Evergreen had expressed the hope that there was no hidden agenda why the Borneo Bulletin was writing negative reports. Messrs Abrahams Davidson & Co appeared for the plaintiffs whilst Messrs Zainidi & Associates appeared for the defendant. -- Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin

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