The Kuala Lumpur High Court has by mutual consent recorded a settlement in PAS vice-president Husam Musa's suit against Utusan Malaysia.

This follows the publication of an article on May 31, 2009 by the Umno-owned daily which allegedly defamed Husam.

Following this, the daily has been asked to publish the withdrawal on page nine of its weekend edition Mingguan Malaysia this Sunday.

NONE Husam's lawyer, Balan Nair Dhamodaran, said the court has also ordered the daily to pay legal costs of RM40,000 to Husam.

Balan said the consent settlement was recorded before judicial commissioner Siti Khadijah S Hassan Badjenid this morning.

Husam named Utusan Malaysia , its feature writer Zulkiflee Bakar and group editor in chief Abdul Aziz Ishak ( left ) in his defamation claim.

The article is question is titled ‘Menilai hujah Husam' (Evaluating Husam's argument) which was published in the daily in the run-up to the party elections.

According to Husam, the article gave the impression that he is not loyal to PAS and its ideals and hence cannot be trusted, that he has the intention to endanger PAS interests, and is also seen as an enemy within PAS.