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KUALA LUMPUR – The high court here has set 10 days from October 16 for the trial of the defamation suit filed by Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi against former prime minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.
Lawyer Shahrul Fazli Kamarulzaman, representing Zahid, said Deputy Registrar Nor Afidah Idris fixed October 16 to 20 and October 23 to 27 for the trial.
“The trial will be heard by Judge Datuk Rozana Ali Yusoff and the next case management has been set for May 19,” said the lawyer when contacted after the online case management today.
Lawyer Shu Ivy, representing Muhyiddin, also attended the proceedings.
Based on the statement of claim, Zahid, 70, said that Muhyiddin, while on the 15th Johor state election campaign trail in Mersing at the compound of the Sentuhan Kasih Felda Tenggaroh Learning Centre 3 on February 16, made defamatory statements against him.
The Bagan Datuk MP claimed that Muhyiddin’s statement implied that he had used a shortcut to settle and postpone his ongoing court cases, that he had asked for Muhyiddin’s help to intervene in the court cases and the judiciary system, and to order the dissolution of the Johor assembly.
Meanwhile, Muhyiddin, 75, in his statement of defence filed on May 9 last year claimed that the statements he made regarding Zahid allegedly asking for his help to intervene in the former deputy prime minister’s court cases were true and not defamatory.
The Bersatu president, in his statement of defence filed on May 9, claimed that the statements were mostly justified as true and fair comments as well as being those of public interest. – Bernama, April 14, 2023