The High Court fixed Sept 27 and 28 as trial dates for the RM10 million defamation suit filed by opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim against Plantation Industries and Commodities Deputy Minister Hamzah Zainuddin.    

 

Judicial Commissioner Rosilah Yop set the date in chambers in Kuala Lumpur today.

Anwar filed the suit on Aug 22, 2008 against Hamzah, who was Housing and Local Government deputy minister at the time, alleging he uttered defamatory words which were published in an article titled ‘Anwar Harassed My Wife’ in the Chinese daily Kwong Wah Jit Poh dated Aug 19, 2008.      

Anwar claimed that the article portrayed him as being involved in forbidden sexual activities, of having low moral standards, and as a man who had no Islamic values.  

Hamzah, in his defence on Nov 13, 2008 said the words in the article were appropriate.  

- Bernama