The High Court in Kuala Lumpur today gave until Feb 22, for National Felda Settlers’ Children Association (Anak) president Mazlan Aliman, who has been sued by the Federal Land Development Authority (Felda), to file his defence.

Senior assistant registrar Catherine Nicholas also ordered five other defendants, PAS secretary-general Mustafa Ali, Harakah editor-in-chief Ahmad Lutfi Othman, Harakah editor Taufek Yahya, article writer Mohd Arif Atan and Harakah publisher Angkatan Edaran Ent Sdn Bhd to do the same.

Abu Bakar Isa Ramat, who is representing Felda, told reporters that the seventh defendant, Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) secretary-general Saifuddin Nasution Ismail had yet to file his attendance in court.

Abu Bakar said Nicholas had fixed March 18 for case management before Justice Lee Heng Cheong.

On Jan 7, this year, Felda filed a defamation suit against Mazlan and six others in relation to statements and articles about crude palm oil sale to Israel.

In its statement of claim, Felda alleged that Mazlan had uploaded defamatory words against it on his Facebook on Nov 19, 2012 and slandered it, four days later (Nov 23), during a gathering in front of the Felda office.

The plaintiff also alleged that Mazlan’s malicious words were published by the second to sixth defendants through a number of articles in the Harakah newspaper last year from Nov 26 until Nov 29.

Felda claimed the defamatory statements and articles had tarnished its image and alleged that the defendants did so to destroy the people’s trust and confidence in the agency for their personal agenda and interests.

The plaintiff is claiming general, special and exemplary damages, as well as interests and costs.

It is also seeking an injunction to restrain Mazlan and his agents from further discussing or publishing the defamatory words in the Internet or print media.

- Bernama