Aug 1 trial for MB lawsuit against Utusan Melayu

KUALA LUMPUR: The High Court here has fixed nine days, beginning Aug 1 for trial of a defamation suit filed by Pahang Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Adnan Yaakob against Utusan Melayu (M) Bhd over an article, ‘Hebat Sangatkah Adnan’.

Judge Datuk Yeoh Wee Siam set the date in chambers today, after meeting lawyers Datuk M. Reza Hassan, acting for Utusan Melayu and Americk Singh Sidhu who represented Adnan during case management.

M. Reza told the media that the court set Aug 1-4 and Aug 7-11 to hear evidence from witnesses.

He said the defendant (Utusan Melayu) would call nine witnesses while two witnesses are from the plaintiff (Adnan).

On Feb 13, the Federal Court had ordered Adnan’s suit to be sent back to the High Court for trial after ruling that evidence had yet to be established at the High Court on whether the lawsuit was brought by Adnan in his personal or official capacity.

The Federal Court made the decision after allowing Adnan’s appeal to reverse the decision of the appellate court on March 1 last year, in striking out his civil suit against the publisher of the Malay newspaper.

Adnan sued Utusan Melayu over the publication of an article in Mingguan Malaysia under the headline, ‘Hebat Sangatkah Adnan’ on Nov 9, 2014.

In the suit filed in 2014, Adnan said Utusan Melayu had tarnished his reputation as a national leader and politician through an article.

The appellate court had allowed Utusan Melayu’s appeal to overturn the High Court’s dismissal of the publisher’s application to strike out the lawsuit. - Bernama