Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak and his wife Rosmah Mansor are to file an application to cancel several paragraphs in the statement of defence of PKR vice-president and secretary-general Mohd Rafizi Ramli and another person in their defamation suit over the issue of oil subsidy.

Lawyer Choo Shi Jin, representing Najib and Rosmah, disclosed this to reporters after case management of the suit before High Court Judge Noraini Abdul Rahman.

The proceedings in chambers were also attended by Mohd Rafizi’s lawyer Ng Siaw Sun and lawyer Joanne Leong who represented ‘Media Rakyat ’ portal owner Chan Chee Kong.

Choo said the application would be filed on Aug 21 and that the court had set the same date for case management.

Najib and Rosmah had filed the suit on April 16, claiming that Mohd Rafizi made a disparaging statement against them at a forum on oil subsidy in Bandar Tun Razak on Nov 22 last year.

They alleged that Mohd Rafizi’s speech was recorded by Media Rakyat and uploaded by Chan or his assistant on Media Rakyat’ s YouTube and portal.

Najib and Rosmah further alleged that Chan had also shared the recording in Media Rakyat’s Facebook account which could be freely accessed by Internet users worldwide.

They alleged that Chan had failed to practise responsible journalism by not verifying or investigating the authenticity of the accusations in the statement before posting them.

The couple are seeking general, aggravated and exemplary damages deemed fit by the court, interest and costs.

- Bernama