Extract taken from a letter regarding the suing of a business magazine by the Tan Sri Vincent Tan, the Malaysian franchisee of McDonald's. .
McSued in Malaysia
Dated 25/09/1995
You may be interested to know that the Malaysian franchisee of McDonald's, Tan Sri Vincent Tan, got into the act and sued the publisher and editor-in-chief, the printers and contributors of a business magazine that had written about his business empire. The publisher and editor-in-chief, who undertook to engage lawyers, followed up his act , and all found themselves in court and, although no defence was filed, awarded damages of RM10 million (about stlg2 million pounds sterling), of which stlgŁ800,000 (pounds sterling) was awarded against this writer. The Court of Appeal dismissed the appeals, and now the Federal Court (the highest court in the land) is due to hear the appeal shortly.
The decision changes the Malaysian law of libel and slander. Vincent Tan came to court and demanded RM20 million, proved nothing - in fact, he did not prove his case nor produce any evidence of his own losses - and yet was awarded the damages.
Tan Sri Vincent Tan has now threatened to sue another journalist for his comments on one of his companies.
