KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA: Actress and TV host Nur Fazura Sharifuddin had lost deals with eight companies worth more than RM1 million (S$410,000) after an article was published in 2005, the High Court heard yesterday.

Nur Fazura said after the weekly Mingguan Warta Perdana published an article entitled "Fazura Rela Dipenjara" (Fazura willing to be jailed) on the front page on May 29, 2005, her contract with a cosmetic company worth more than RM100,000 was terminated.

She said many film producers also felt that her presence in their films or dramas could affect their movies.

"A film producer rejected me for his film although he had initially agreed," she said.

Nur Fazura, 26, was giving evidence at the hearing of her RM500,000 suit against Perdana Production House Sdn Bhd, the publisher of Mingguan Warta Perdana, and reporter Haslinda Hashim.

Nur Fazura, who starred in several films, including the latest "Pisau Cukur", said in her statement of claim that the article had tarnished her image.

She claimed that the article implied she had admitted to assaulting housewife Geraldine Mariana Wong and was prepared to go to prison when in fact, she never made such a statement.

Nur Fazura was acquitted of the charge last year.

Yesterday, she told the court that she had received a call from Haslinda asking her about the case but she told her she did not want to comment.

"Then, Haslinda posed the second question 'Bagaimana jika Fazura didapati bersalah dan terima hukuman penjara? (What if you were found guilty and jailed?)'"

"I just answered 'Itu semua kuasa Allah dan saya hanya bertawakkal serta redha (That's the power of Allah and I will leave it to God and accept the outcome)'," she said

Nur Fazura said about two weeks after the call, the tabloid published the article.

"I was shocked. I never made such a statement. I felt embarrassed as the article had tarnished my image as an actress. I was also worried that offers for acting would be affected," she said.

Haslinda said she contacted Nur Fazura and asked her if she was ready to accept the punishment if found guilty.

"She said 'Ready. I'm not afraid of the sentence if I am found guilty of committing the offence'," said Haslinda

Haslinda said the headline was written by her editor, Zuraidah Abdul Halim

Zuraidah said she instructed Haslinda to contact Nur Fazura.

"Haslinda made the call in front of me and I saw her jotting down the conversation," she said, adding that she wrote the headline to give impact and fulfil the "wow factor" to attract readers.

Hearing continues today.