Defendants in Mustafa’s suit seek settlement

comments     Bernama     Published     Updated

Four defendants in International Trade and Industry Minister Mustapa Mohamed’s defamation suit are seeking to settle the case amicably.

Mustapa’s lawyer CK Lew told reporters that the four defendants conveyed the message through their counsel Nadzratun Naim Hammad Azizi when the case was mentioned before Justice Nor Bee Ariffin in chambers today.

Lew said both parties were now in discussion of the terms of the settlement and if the case could not be resolved amicably, trial would proceed as set for two days from Nov 12. The court has also fixed Oct 7 for case management.

The four defendants are PAS and its former secretary-general Mustafa Ali, and chief editor and editor of http:/harakahdaily.net , Zulkifli Sulong and Azmi Yusof.

Meanwhile, counsel Termizi Abdullah who is representing another defendant, former PAS vice-president Husam Musa Husam, said his client had expressed his intention to meet Mustapa soon to discuss on settling the case as well.

On April 22, 2013, Mustapa, who is also Kelantan Umno liaison committee chairperson, filed the lawsuit alleging that Husam had slandered him during a political speech at the Machang Expo site in Kelantan on March 23, 2013.

The alleged slander was in regards to Felda Global Ventures Holdings Berhad (FGVH) shares.

The plaintiff who is the Member of Parliament for Jeli, claimed that on March 24, 2013, PAS and the other defendants published Husam’s alleged slander on harakahdaily.net., which could be accessed by millions of website users.

Mustapa claimed the statement meant that he was a corrupt leader and politician, had no credibility and abused his power for his and Umno members’ interest.

- Bernama



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