The High Court in Kuala Lumpur set three days from Aug 7 to hear the RM10 million defamation suit filed by Malaysian Muslim Lawyers Association president Zainul Rijal Abu Bakar against lawyer Kamar Ainiah Kamaruzaman over the latter’s statements in the Malaysiakini portal and PAS’ party organ Harakahdaily .  

Judge Vazeer Alam Mydin Meera set the dates in chambers after meeting lawyer Azhar Arman Ali who is acting for Kamar Ainiah.

Azhar Arman, when met by reporters, said case management had been set for June 11 to enable both parties to file documents that would be used during the hearing.

Zainul Rijal had filed the suit on Feb 15 and named Kamar Ainiah as the first defendant and her law firm, Tetuan Kamar Ainiah, Razif & Zashidi as the second defendant.

In his statement of claim, Zainul Rijal alleged that Kamar Ainiah, who was representing Opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim in a ‘qazaf’ case at the Syariah High Court, had slandered him when speaking to reporters at the Federal Territory Syariah Court complex in Kuala Lumpur in August last year.

Among others, he demanded that the slanderous statements be retracted and an apology to the published in the two news outlets, which was to run for a week.

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

- Bernama