Sarawak Report has now paid what the ultimate Malaysian court demanded on behalf of the Terengganu Sultanah.

The Sultanah had pleaded she was defamed over being misidentified for making an introduction actually performed by her royal sister in law, namely recommending in 2008 the then budding financier, Jho Low, as an advisor to the Chairman of the  Terengganu Investment Authority (TIA) (the Sultan himself).

Sarawak Report immediately corrected the error in 2018 but has maintained the sister of the Sultan did nothing wrong in making such an introduction.

As testified in court and elsewhere, the sister of the Sultan was herself on the board of the TIA – a public duty on her part – and her husband was also an advisor.

Jho Low had told news media in 2010 that he owed this introduction to his acquaintance with the sister of the Sultan, a qualified businesswoman who sat on the board of one of his own companies. Sarawak Report had accidentally written the word ‘wife’ not ‘sister’ in relating the matter in the prelude to a book about the 1MDB scandal.

After a six year legal battle Sarawak Report’s admission of error but not of having insulted the Sultanah (or by implication the actual introducer) was ruled an insufficient apology by the Malaysian Appeal court.

The Sultanah had demanded RM300 million in compensation. She was awarded RM300 thousand by the court which well-wishers have come forward to help us pay.

This support has enabled us to protect local businesses that would have fallen target to the Sultanah’s debt collection under Malaysia’s oppressive printing laws had Sarawak Report required the Sultanah to bring her case to the UK where the offending words were in fact published.

Without the numerous and generous donations, great and small, that have flooded in right up to this week from individuals who have supported us across Malaysia, we could not have met this payment and brave local businesses might have suffered.

We want to thank each and every person who took the trouble to contribute to this cause and every ringgit made a difference to avert the damage that this case could have inflicted. Each donation has been noted and we thank you.

Sarawak Report will seek to continue to report matters in the public interest, particularly focused on the protection of the unique rainforests and peoples of Borneo who have fallen victim to destructive pillage and resource grabbing, too often by those whose duty lies in stewardship and good governance.

We seek to identify and publicise abuse where we see it and to praise and support good governance and lawful progress when we see it.  The book in which the offending word was published was dedicated to detailing Malaysia’s 1MDB scandal which Sarawak Report exposed. We would not wish that matter of enormous public interest to be distracted by one word on one page in the prelude.

This is a service for which Sarawak Report and all free and independent media have often been attacked but one that we maintain is in the global public interest, however annoying it may be for those who enjoy privilege and power but have to endure the public profile that comes with it.