A three-man panel comprising justices Abang Iskandar Abang Hashim, Hasnah Mohammed Hashim and Rhodzariah Bujang dismissed Mohd Khaidir’s appeal.

Abang Iskandar ordered Khaidir, 56, to also pay RM10,000 in legal cost.

On April 28 last year, the Temerloh High Court allowed Mohd Iqbal Zainal Abidin’s defamation claim against Khaidir and ordered the latter to pay damages of RM50,000 and also 5% interest per annum on the sum from the judgment date until settlement.

Iqbal, 32, sued Khaidir on Aug 14, 2016, for allegedly posting a negative and erroneous statement about him in his Facebook account between May 21 and May 24, 2016.

In his statement of claim, Iqbal claimed that Khaidir was angry with him for signing a notice dated May 15, 2015, which was issued to Khaidir regarding alleged unauthorised occupation of government land.

Iqbal claimed that Khaidir refused to apologise or retract the defamatory statement even though he had sent him a letter of demand on May 28, 2016.

One of Khaidir’s lawyers, Ikmal Hisam Idris, said he would seek instructions from his client on whether to file leave to appeal in the Federal Court.

Khaidir was also represented by lawyer T Gunaseelan while lawyer Adnan Seman appeared for Iqbal.