This publication sets out all the relevant law and procedure pertaining to an action for defamation in court along with practical guidance on reputation management. It is a practical guide towards both the prevention of and the cure for defamation cases. Templates and sample documents add value to the explanation of legal principles covered in this book.

A competent legal advisor needs to be well-equipped to implement crisis management policies and manage media and stakeholder statements on behalf of his individual and corporate clients. While this is especially true of high-profile companies whose activities cause public concern, a person who faces public scrutiny for a scandal (whether real or imagined) will require access to a lawyer or legal advisor who can advise on the best things to say to the media and what reputation-damaging statements may be objected to. Practical considerations in this regard are included in this book to prepare legal advisors to meet issues faced by their clients in defamation claims.

This book is invaluable in the event litigation becomes inevitable. Lawyers for both plaintiff and defendant will be aided by the guidance with regard to the ingredients of a claim, defences, effective apology and the handling of case management. Interim measures are discussed as are preparation and conduct of the trial, damages, and settlement.

Other recourses available to an aggrieved party including lodging a complaint with the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission, police reports, filing a complaint with the relevant social media channel for removal of offending posts are also discussed. Well-researched and comprehensive, this is an indispensable guide for the successful conduct of defamation matters.

Key Features

• Comprehensive and practical coverage of defamation actions.
• Clear guidance on the requirements of each cause of action.
• Systematic presentation of procedure to be adopted.
• Discussion on interim measures.
• Detailed consideration of available defences.
• Citation of copious number of local and foreign authorities.
• Advice on reputation management and steps for prevention of defamation.
• Instructive checklist on pleadings in defamation actions.
• Sample documents complemented with useful guidance notes.
• Relevant extracts of legislative provisions available on ProView.

Table of Contents

1.     Introduction

2.     The Parties

3.     The Claim

4.     Defences

5.     Remedies

6.     The Action

7.     Reputation Management

8.     Other Recourses