Utusan Melayu (M) Bhd failed in the High Court in Kuala Lumpur to strike out Seputeh MP Teresa Kok's defence in a defamation suit against the opposition politician over her comment on food served to her while being under the Internal Security Act (ISA) in 2008.

Justice Datuk John Louis O'Hara ordered the suit to go for a full trial after ruling that Kok had an arguable case in defending herself.

selangor dap election 281110 teresa kok interview 02 "This is not a plain and obvious case of striking out, and the case should go for full trial," said O'Hara before ordering the daily to pay costs of RM5,000 to Kok ( left ).

In February 2009, Utusan Melayu served a writ of summons and statement of claim on Kok, 47, the Selangor DAP chief whose full name is Teresa Kok Suh Sim, for allegedly uttering defamatory statements about its Utusan Malaysia Malay-language daily.

In the statement of claim, Utusan Melayu said Kok had made alleged defamatory statements on Sept 22, 2008, when she claimed that the daily had distorted her statements to the national media and in her own blog about the food served to her while being detained under the ISA in 2008.

Utusan Melayu is seeking, among other things, an order to have the alleged defamatory articles, words, quotes or comments removed from the blog.

It is also seeking an injunction to restrain Kok, whether by herself, her agents or servants, from further publishing or causing to be published the alleged defamatory words.

Utusan Melayu is seeking general, special, aggravated and punitive damages as well as costs and any relief deemed fit by the court.

Datuk Seri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah, who represented Utusan Melayu, told reporters his client would appeal against the court's decision.

Kok was represented by Sangeet Kaur.

- Bernama