I had no chance to tell my side of the story
January 25, 2006
SHE will now move on.
But without a chance to tell her side of the story.
And that is why Malaysian diva Datuk Sharifah Aini Syed Jaafar said she has no reason to celebrate the court discharge issued yesterday.
The singer, accused of defaming pop icon Siti Nurhaliza Tarudin through an e-mail, was given a discharge not amounting to an acquittal, reported the Malaysian newspapers.
Dressed in a purple baju kurung, the singer seemed pensive as magistrate Azroul Hisham Azulan ruled in her favour.
Then she gave a broad smile and thanked him for the decision.
The magistrate said that the defamation charge needs a complaint to be made in accordance with the provisions under Section 131 of the Criminal Procedure Code.
If no complaint is made, then the court cannot consider the offence committed.
THE JUDGMENT
He said: ‘At this stage, when the full trial has not started, it is therefore appropriate for the accused to be given a discharge not amounting to an acquittal because this court has no jurisdiction to hear the case.’
Sharifah, 53, said: ‘It is time to get on with my life.’
She had been accused of sending an e-mail containing derogatory statements about Siti Nurhaliza to Mr Ahmad Shaharil Jamaludin, Sharifah Aini’s adopted brother, on 24 Aug 2004.
The alleged defamatory statements in the e-mail message touched on Siti Nurhaliza’s looks and that she had artificially enhanced it.
It also contained claims about her private life.
On 1 Dec 2004, she claimed trial to committing the offence.
The defamation case seized headlines in Malaysia as it involved two of the country’s most popular artistes – veteran singer Sharifah and the younger Siti.
Sharifah told reporters yesterday that she had mixed feelings over the court decision and had no reason to celebrate.
She said: ‘It did not give me a chance to tell my side of the story. I have gone through humiliation and stress for over a year and I am tired and upset. It is time for me to get on with my life.’
Late last year, Sharifah claimed to have been kidnapped and drugged.
The Malaysian police said then that there was no evidence that such an attack had taken place.
DID NOT TESTIFY
Neither Sharifah nor Siti were called to testify in the defamation case.
But Sharifah still hopes to give her side of the story one day.
‘I will try and tell my side of the story one day,’ she said.
Her lawyer, Datuk Muhammad Shafee Abdullah, said that she could write a book on this.
And the singer nodded, saying that it was a good idea.
Datuk Muhammad Shafee said an appeal by the prosecution would be a waste of time: ‘This case does not benefit anyone, be it Siti Nurhaliza or Sharifah Aini.
‘It does not amount to a win-win situation for both parties. Many would get hurt if the case were to go on.
‘If they appeal, then legally speaking, they (the prosecution) have to re-charge (Sharifah).’
Meanwhile, Siti said she was pretty calm about the whole thing.
She told Utusan Malaysia: ‘I don’t know what to say. My reputation has been tarnished.’
According to Siti, although the case didn’t impact her greatly, she has lost her good name in the local music industry.
‘This isn’t a case of Siti vs Sharifah Aini. I am just a witness in this case and I have cooperated with the court as best as I can.’
‘I have conducted myself in the proper way and followed the letter of the law.
Siti, 27, said that she is consulting her lawyer following the court’s decision.
‘I accept the decision, but if the case is reopened in future, I will offer my cooperation.’
Asked whether she knew of the court’s decision in advance, she replied: ‘I only found out when the media approached me for comment while I was on my way to the recording studio.’
http://newpaper.asia1.com.sg/