BN’s GE13 candidate, TV3 to apologise to Anwar
KUALA LUMPUR: The High Court here fixed Wednesday for Sistem Televisyen Malaysia Bhd (TV3) and former Barisan Nasional Permatang Pauh candidate in the 13th General Election Datuk Dr Mazlan Ismail to return to court to record their settlement over a defamation suit filed against them by PKR founder Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
Mazlan’s lawyer, Datuk Hasnal Rezua Merican, when approached after the parties met Judicial Commissioner Datin Faizah Jamaludin in chambers yesterday, said his client and TV3 had agreed to record a consent judgment next Wednesday.
Anwar, who was present in court, filed the suit on Oct 15, 2015, claiming that the two defendants and Utusan Melayu (M) Bhd had implicated him of bribing judges and prosecutors.
“The settlement only involves Dr Mazlan and TV3, not Utusan Melayu. They (Dr Mazlan and TV3) have agreed to retract the article, offer an apology and (pay the) cost, but the draft of the retraction and apology has yet to be prepared.”
Hasnal said Mazlan would return from the haj on Sept 19.
Azhar Arman Ali, who was representing Utusan Melayu, said he would leave it to his client to decide on the matter.
“I’m just waiting for their instruction, but I have indicated to the judge that there is a possibility for a settlement,” he said.
Anwar claimed that Mazlan had called for a press conference, during which the alleged defamatory words were uttered, and aired by TV3 on its Buletin Utama at 8pm on Aug 2, 2013, and published by Utusan Melayu in Utusan Malaysia on Aug 3, 2013.