The 'false news' trial of labour rights activist Irene Fernandez has been postponed by a day as Deputy public prosecutor Abdul Rahman Mohd Redza was not in court this morning, due to a bereavement in the family.

Magistrate Juliana Mohamed, who approved the prosecution application to move the hearing to tomorrow afternoon, also announced that she may have to recuse herself from the case.

"I was transferred to the Law Revision Division at the Attorney-General's Chambers from Sept 1, 2001. I am directly answerable to the AG so I would like to see if there are any objections. If so, I will excuse myself from the case," she explained.

Responding, defence counsel M Puravalen asked if Juliana has been re-gazetted as the magistrate to the case.

She said the Federal Court would make a decision on the matter later today and that she would inform the parties concerned tomorrow, when the court sits again.

Fernandez is charged under Section 8A(2) of the Printing Presses and Publications Act 1984 for "maliciously publishing false news" after she released a memorandum at a press conference in August 1995 about alleged torture and deaths in the camps for illegal immigrants.

If convicted, she faces up to three years in prison and/or a fine of up to RM20,000. She is currently on bail.