In a statement, Yeoh said Kamarul filed a notice of discontinuance in court on Jan 30, agreeing to pay her RM5,000 in costs without the option of filing a new suit.

“Therefore, his withdrawal of this defamation suit is not only timely but also confirms my steadfast position that I did not exploit race and religion in my campaign, rendering his accusations against me baseless and unsubstantiated.

“Now that the suit has been withdrawn, I wish to lay this matter to rest,” she said.

The lawsuit stemmed from an incident during the 2020 Sabah elections, when Kamarul posted a campaign banner featuring Yeoh alongside the words “Peranan Umat Kristian Dalam Pembangunan Negara” (The Role of Christians in Nation-Building).

Commenting on the banner, Kamarul had said: “Using religion to win the state election?”

In response, Yeoh accused the lecturer of playing up racial and religious sentiments.

Kamarul then demanded an apology, which the DAP lawmaker refused to give, prompting the lawsuit.