Baginda Minda has applied to set aside a defamation suit filed against him by Ummi Hafilda Ali, his former business partner.

Kuala Lumpur High Court judge VT Singham also warned the parties concerned not to make statements outside court that could affect the case.

NONE “I also read the papers. I welcome the media to report matters as this will help ensure transparency and speed up cases.

“However, you should report matters in court and not outside,” he warned in obvious reference to Ummi Hafilda ( right ) taking a religious oath on Tuesday.

Ummi Hafilda took the oath saying she did not have sex with Baginda and that if she lied, then calamity will befall her.

Singham fixed Sept 12 to hear the application for Baginda’s lawyers to enter a conditional appearance and the application to set aside.

Baginda came into court personally with lawyers Yusmadi Yusoff, who is Balik Pulau MP, and Fahda Nur Ahmad Jamaluddin.

NONE Mkini.com, the company which is the operator of Malaysiakini , was also named as the second defendant.

Mkini.com was represented by counsel Fahri Azzat.

Fahri informed the court that he has received instructions for a mediation with Ummi Hafilda, but this was before Mkini.com was aware that Baginda (left) would enter an appearance today.

Following this, Justice Singham said the court encourages mediation but in the light of the latest development, this process, if there is one, will be done pending the outcome of Baginda’s application.

On April 25, Ummi Hafilda re-filed her RM100 million suit after it was struck off following non-attendance of her counsel.

She named her former business partner Baginda @ Nor Azman Abdullah and Mkini.com as defendants.

Ummi Hafilda claimed that Baginda, during a press conference at the Parliament lobby, had uttered slanderous statements against her, among others that she was a woman of loose morals and not an honest person.

She said the words used by Nor Azman were intended to embarrass her, with malice, and that the second defendant had negligently published an article on the defamatory words on its portal on March 15. 

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