The High Court today set Aug 6 and 7 for the trial of a defamation suit brought by two former national hockey players against Malay Mail Sdn Bhd and two of its editors over an article the newspaper had published two years ago.    

Judicial Commissioner Rosilah Yop fixed the date in chambers after meeting with counsel RS Sodhi, who represented the plaintiffs and siblings Kevinder Singh and Harvinder Singh, and counsel SJ Teh, who represented the defendants Malay Mail Sdn Bhd, Malay Mail Sdn Bhd editor and Malay Mail sports editor Johnson Fernandez.

Sodhi told reporters that the plaintiffs would call five witnesses to testify, and that the court had set Aug 1 for case management.  

Siblings Kevinder Singh and Harvinder Singh filed the suit against the three defendants over an article published in the Malay Mail on Oct 9, 2012.   

In their statement of claim, they said the article implied that they were drunkards, law-breakers and rowdies who caused problems in the national hockey team.

They also claimed that words in the article had referred to them as they were the only Sikh siblings in the team and were on the flight to Sydney for the Australian Sikh Games in April 2012.

Kevinder Singh and Harvinder Singh are seeking compensation for general damages, aggravated damages, exemplary damages, costs, interest and other relief deemed fit by the court.

- Bernama