Lawyer Kamar Ainiah Kamaruzaman, who is being sued for RM10 million by Muslim Lawyers Association president Zainul Rijal Abu Bakar, has denied the allegations that she made a defamatory statement to reporters in August last year.

NONE In a statement of defence filed on March 12, Kamar Ainiah ( left ) also claimed that her statement was made in the context of explaining Anwar Ibrahim’s qazaf (criminal defamation) case, on which she is representing him.       

She also said that she had no knowledge whatsoever of the posts on the Malaysiakini and HarakahDaily portals.

She further said she needed to inform the media of an application to the Syariah Appeal Court to prohibit Zainur Rijal from acting as the syariah lawyer in the qazaf case as it involved several public interest issues and syariah ethics.  

Judge Vazeer Alam Mydin set March 28 for case management.

Kamar Ainiah was represented by Dorina Abdullah and Zainur Rijal by Nizam Bashir.

NONE Zainur Rijal’s ( left ) Feb 15 defamation suit named Kamar Ainiah and her firm Messrs Kamar Ainiah, Razif & Zashidi as the respondents.      

Zainul Rijal claimed that Kamar Ainiah had made a defamatory statement to a group of reporters outside the Federal Territory Syariah Court Complex in August 2011 to tarnish his image as a lawyer and businessman.

He sought an injunction to remove the posts immediately and for a week-long apology to be posted on Malaysiakini and HarakahDaily .  

He is also seeking RM10 million in general damages and special, aggravated and exemplary damages.  

- Bernama