Papagomo Remains Ordered to Pay RM280,000 to Guan Eng, Son

KUALA LUMPUR: Influencer Papagomo remains ordered to pay RM280,000 in damages to former Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng and his son, Clint Lim Way Chau, in a defamation suit involving allegations that RM2 million was brought into Singapore without declaration in 2020.

Judge Roslan Mat Nor dismissed an application by Papagomo, whose real name is Wan Muhammad Azri Wan Deris, 43, for a stay of execution of the judgment ordering him to pay damages to the father and son, who are the plaintiffs in the case.

Speaking outside the court, lawyer Simon Murali, representing Guan Eng, 66, and Clint, 33, said the decision was made after the judge considered the grounds contained in the affidavits submitted by both parties.

“The court found that the defendant had failed to demonstrate any special circumstances that would warrant the court exercising its discretion to consider staying the execution of the order granted on May 19.

“Accordingly, the judge dismissed the defendant’s application with costs of RM5,000,” he said.

Simon said the court also found that the argument that Wan Muhammad Azri could face enforcement action, including bankruptcy proceedings if the stay was not granted, was insufficient grounds.

He said the defendant had also argued that the plaintiffs might be unable to repay the damages if the influencer succeeded in his appeal before the Court of Appeal.

“However, the court ruled that there was no evidence in the affidavits to establish those facts for the court to take into consideration,” the lawyer said.

Neither the plaintiffs nor the defendant attended the proceedings and were instead represented by their respective lawyers.

Wan Muhammad Azri was represented by lawyer Fazilah Jaafar.

On May 19, the High Court here ordered Wan Muhammad Azri to pay RM200,000 in damages to Guan Eng and RM80,000 to Clint after allowing the defamation suit filed by the plaintiffs.

The suit was filed on April 19, 2020, following allegations made by Wan Muhammad Azri in a Facebook post under the name “Papa Azri” that Clint had been detained at Changi Airport in Singapore on Feb 29, 2020, for carrying RM2 million in cash.

Guan Eng also claimed that the post gave the impression that he had travelled to Singapore on the same date after his son was detained at the airport.

The case was originally filed at the Penang High Court on April 19, 2020, before being transferred to the High Court here on March 23, 2021.

Judicial Commissioner, the late Eddie Yeo Soon Chye, who heard the trial in 2024, died in February last year.

The case was subsequently handled by Roslan, with both parties agreeing that the new judge would deliver a decision based on the existing notes of proceedings.

Sinar Harian