The High Court in Kuala Lumpur has set Aug 21 and 22 to hear the defamation suit filed by Defence Minister Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi against Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) director of strategy Mohd Rafizi Ramli.

Ahmad Zahid’s lawyer aseedharan Menon told reporters in Kuala Lumpur today that Judicial Commissioner Lee Heng Cheong set the dates.   

On Jan 25, Ahmad Zahid filed the suit claiming that Mohd Rafizi had posted an article on his blog which was allegedly false and written with a malicious intent to portray him (Ahmad Zahid) and his career in a negative light to the public.   

Ahmad Zahid is seeking general, special and exemplary damages, a full retraction of the alleged defamatory article and an apology over two days in four local dailies in four languages.

He is also seeking an order to restrain the defendant from posting the article again or using it at general election speeches, gatherings and campaigns.

In his statement of defence filed with the court on April 5, copies of which were made available to the press today, Mohd Rafizi denied that he had defamed the minister in his blog.

He said he was responsible for raising various issues which were of public interest in his blog RafiziRamli.com.

As such, he asked the court to strike out Ahmad Zahid’s suit.   

- Bernama