Malaysiakini says paid RM500,000 Federal Court fine one day ahead of deadline

KUALA LUMPUR — Malaysiakini’s operator Mkini Dot Com Sdn Bhd has paid the RM500,000 fine imposed on the news portal – for being in contempt of court over its readers’ comments – a day ahead of tomorrow’s deadline.

In a brief video clip by the news outlet’s video outfit KiniTV, Malaysiakini’s CEO Premesh Chandran was seen today holding an Alliance Bank cheque for the amount of RM500,000 outside the Palace of Justice, before proceeding to a counter inside to pay the fine.

In the video, he was also seen holding a document dated February 23 and entitled Bil Rasmi for the sum of RM500,000.

When contacted by Malay Mail, Malaysiakini’s lawyer Surendra Ananth confirmed that the document titled Bil Rasmi is “proof of payment”, confirming that Malaysiakini had paid the fine.

Last Friday, the Federal Court imposed the RM500,000 fineon Malaysiakini to be paid by the end of the tomorrow, with the news outlet subsequently managing to raise more than RM500,000 through donations from the public within just hours of the sentencing.

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