Court of Appeal sets aside RM1.1 million in damages in the Ivana Smit case
The Court of Appeal set aside RM1.1 million in damages awarded to the mother of model Ivana Smit over the investigation into her death (Malaysiakini, Malay Mail, FMT in Malay, 14 Oct). Malaysiakini’s headline said the court “allows govt and police to appeal”. DailyDrop saw headlines only, so it does not know the judges’ reasoning, whether the family can go further, or what the damages were awarded for in detail.
The case tested whether the state and police can be made to pay for how a death was investigated. The ruling removes that award for now.
No direct effect on most readers. It matters to anyone following how far civil claims against public bodies can go.
Without the written judgment, the reasons are unknown. Watch for whether the family says it will seek leave to appeal further.
DailyDrop Malaysia edition No. 11 · Morning · THU., OCT. 15, 2026