NSTP pays healer RM100,000 in out-of-court settlement

The New Straits Times Press (M) Bhd (NSTP ) today agreed to pay RM100,000 to a paranormal healer for several defamatory articles which appeared in its publication alleging she had forced a victim to swallow broken glass.Lawyer M Manoharan (right), representing Sarah Bee Mohd Kassim, disclosed the settlement, which comes a day before the matter was to come before a full trial tomorrow.


“The defendant has agreed that the settlement be recorded before the court,” Manoharan, who is also Kota Alam Shah assemblyperson, told Malaysiakini.Sara, a well-known healer in Indonesia and Malaysia, had filed the suit in 2006. She alleged that the articles which appeared in Malay-language dailies Berita Harian and Harian Metro January that year were defamatory.The plaintiff also alleged that though the articles did not mention her by name, it indicated so much as she was known to be a practioner of the 'Wali Songo' type of traditional treatment. She also stated that she was not a bomoh but a paranormal healer.She said the articles were false, done with bad intention and were defamatory. Sarah also alleged that she had never at anytime asked a client to swallow glass as part of her treatment, nor did she impose exorbitant fees.

Source : http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/133251