The Kuala Lumpur High Court set Nov 3 for case management on the defamation suit by PAS deputy president Mohamad Sabu against the editor-in-chief of the Utusan Group, Abdul Aziz Ishak, and Utusan Melayu (M) Berhad regarding the publication of the article on the Bukit Kepong communist issue.

mat sabu pc with salleh man 190811 Justice Datuk John Louis O'Hara set the date after meeting counsel Azhana Mohd Khairudin, who represented Mohamad ( left ), and counsel Firoz Hussein Ahmad Jamaluddin, representing Abdul Aziz and Utusan Melayu, in his chambers today.

Firoz, when approached by the media, said he would enter the defence on the statement of claims filed on or before that date.

Mohamad, 57, as the plaintiff, filed the suit on Sept 14 through Messrs Mohamed Hanipa & Associates at the High Court here through the e-filing system at the High Court Registration Counter.

Statement of claims

According to the statement of claims obtained by the media today, the PAS deputy president claimed that the two defendants had maliciously published an article on Aug 27 and two publication materials on the following day that contained defamatory elements.

The publication of the three articles were related to the issue on the communist attack on the Bukit Kepong Police Station in Johor.

He claimed that the publication of the articles had indirectly showed that he was a communist supporter, had deviated from the Islamic teachings and faith for supporting the communists, and had branded Muhammad Indera as a communist terrorist.

As a consequence, Mohamad claimed that he felt ashamed and ridiculed and his integrity, credibility and reputation had also been adversely affected.

He also claimed that he was distressed following the SMS he received which contained criminal threats on himself and family as well as the threat that he be detained under the Internal Security Act (ISA).

In addition, he also claimed that he had received threats to have his citizenship revoked as well as being charged in court for allegedly committing sedition and disparaging the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.

Mohamad also claimed that the defendants had published all the said articles to sensationalise the news, boost the sales of the newspaper for financial gain and to gain political mileage for Umno.

As such, the plaintiff was seeking general, exemplary and excessive damages as well as a court order for an apology from the defendants as well as to withdraw the defamatory charges made against him.

 - Bernama