Tengku Sarifuddin Tengku Ahmad, the press secretary of Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak, has filed an application to strike out a defamation suit by former Kedah menteri besar Mukhriz Mahathir.

The application was filed yesterday at the High Court in Kuala Lumpur, and served to Mukhriz's lawyer today.

Tengku Sarifuddin said in his application that there is no reasonable cause of action and the suit is frivolous, vexatious and an abuse of the court process.

Lawyer Ooi She Yi for Tengku Sarifuddin said the application will be heard on Oct 11. She told this to reporters after the parties met Judicial Commissioner Roslan A Bakar in chambers.

The defamation suit is in relation to four media statements issued by Tengku Sarifuddin between April 15 and 26.

The statements in question alleged that Mukhriz is conspiring with his father, former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad, and former deputy prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin to topple the lawful government.

Mukhriz claimed the statements suggested that he would be given the prime minister's post once Muhyiddin steps down after replacing Najib as prime minister.

The former Kedah menteri besar alleged that Tengku Sarifuddin painted a picture that he was crazy for power and would do anything to achieve his ambition to become prime minister, including cheating, which is against the democratic process.

Tengku Sarifuddin in his defence statement, denied that he issued such accusations or statements that Mukhriz had conspired with Mahathir and Muhyiddin to topple a legal government, and put the burden on the former Kedah menteri besar to prove he had issued those words within the ordinary meaning, or via innuendo or inference.

Oral discussion

Mukhriz's lawyer Mohd Haniff Khatri Abdullah told reporters today that they were looking into the court's suggestion to possibly settle the matter.

“We did have an oral discussion on the terms of settlement but I cannot reveal it here,” he said.

He said that the aide's lawyer will have to seek instructions following this and get back to the court.

At the same time, Haniff said he had been instructed by Mukhriz to file an interrogatory application to quiz certain portions of Tengku Sarifuddin's defence and affidavit.

The matter will also be heard on Oct 11 if the documents are filed in time, said Haniff.