KUALA LUMPUR: The trial of Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim (pix) lawsuit against Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin will begin in August next year at the High Court here.
The suit is related to an allegedly slanderous speech about Anwar receiving a salary of RM15 million while serving as the Selangor state economic advisor.
The prime minister’s counsel, lawyer Datuk S.N Nair said that Judicial Commissioner Roz Mawar Rozain set a nine-day trial for August 5, 6, 7, 12 to 14, and 26 to 28 during today’s case management proceedings.
“The court also ordered both parties to file interlocutory applications by June 15, 2023 and set case management for June 21, 2023,” he told reporters.
Anwar was also represented by another lawyer, Jaden Phoon Wai Ken at today’s proceedings, while Muhyiddin was represented by Chetan Jethwani and Ivy Shu.
Anwar, 75, had filed the suit on Dec 20, 2022 against Muhyiddin over his alleged slanderous statements during his speech at the Grand Finale Perikatan Nasional Padang Serai in Taman Selasih, Kulim while stumping for PN candidate Datuk Azman Nasrudin for the 15th general election on Dec 5, 2022.
Anwar is seeking general damages, aggravated damages, exemplary damages, and compensatory damages from Muhyiddin, in addition to an injunctive order to prevent him from further publishing or distributing similar defamatory statements.
Muhyiddin in his statement of defence claimed that his speech was not slanderous but a fair comment as it was part of political campaigning for Azman. -Bernama