The ongoing defamation suit filed by former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad against current Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim will now be heard before a newly appointed judicial commissioner (JC) at the Shah Alam High Court. The change follows the reassignment of Judge Zaharah Hussain, who was initially scheduled to preside over the trial from August 18 to 21.
According to a statement from Dr Mahathir’s lawyer, Muhammad Rafique Rashid Ali, the new JC is set to be sworn in on Wednesday. As a result, the hearing that was supposed to start next Monday will instead be replaced by a case management session, while the August 19 and 20 trial dates remain unchanged. Proceedings planned for August 21 have been vacated.
During a recent virtual case management session, both legal teams confirmed that essential cause papers had been submitted. These included amended pleadings, joint document bundles, witness lists from both the plaintiff and defendant, and summaries of their respective cases. Dr Mahathir was briefed on the developments and has expressed his commitment to attending the trial, which has been in progress since May 2023.
The lawsuit, filed on May 3, 2023, seeks RM150 million in damages over remarks made by Anwar during a speech at the Special National Congress of Civil Malaysia: “Implementation of an Idealism.” Dr Mahathir claims that the statements implied he had amassed property for the benefit of his children and family, and had extended preferential treatment to high-ranking individuals. He contends that these allegations are false and have damaged his image as a statesman.
Anwar, in his defence filed on June 14, 2023, argued that the suit was politically motivated, aiming to undermine his credibility as Prime Minister and to stir racial tensions ahead of the last state elections. He highlighted that the plaintiff’s Certificate of Immediate Approval had requested an expedited trial, citing the impending dissolution of six state assemblies — Selangor, Negeri Sembilan, Penang, Kelantan, Terengganu, and Kedah — in preparation for the polls.
With a new JC now presiding, the high-profile case is set to continue in the coming weeks, keeping public attention on one of the most politically charged legal battles in recent years.
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