The High Court in Kuala Lumpur was told today that there was a possibility of a settlement in a defamation suit filed by Kelantan prince Tengku Muhammad Fakhry Petra against The Malay Mail and two others.

Judge Zabariah Mohd Yusof fixed this Friday for case management and for the parties involved to inform the court on the outcome of the proposed settlement.

Lawyer AS Dhaliwal, who represents Tengku Muhammad Fakhry, told reporters that the terms of the settlement would include an apology from the defendants to be published in the mainstream media.

Dhaliwal said, if they failed to fulfil those terms, the trial would proceed on May 2.

He said the plaintiff would call 15 witnesses, including Tengku Muhammad Fakhry’s mother, the Raja Perempuan of Kelantan.

Meanwhile, the newspaper’s lawyer, Mohd Zaharudeen Harun, confirmed that they were ‘working on’ a possible settlement.

Tengku Muhammad Fakhry filed the writ of summons on Nov 11, last year, naming The Malay Mail Sdn Bhd as first defendant and publisher The New Straits Times Press (M) Bhd, chief editor Yushaimi Maulud Yahya and reporter Marhalim Abbas as the second, third and fourth defendants.

In his statement of claim, the prince alleged that the defendants were responsible for posting an article in The Malay Mail Online News Portal on May 5, 2010, which jeopardised his reputation, position and career.

Apart from seeking damages, the prince is also seeking a published apology, an injunction to prevent the repetition of the article, exemplary damages and other costs deemed fit by the court.

- Bernama