International Trade and Industry Minister Mustapa Mohamad's defamation suit against PAS and four others will go for trial on Nov 12 and 13.

This follows after Mustapa failed to reach a settlement with the defendants before Kuala Lumpur High Court judge Nor Bee Ariffin today.

The court then fixed those dates next month for hearing.

"There is no agreement reached today and hence, the judge has fixed those trial dates," said lawyer Lew Cho Kang who is representing Mustapa.

The minister named PAS, former vice-president Husam Musa ( photo ), former secretary-general Mustafa Ali, chief editor and editor of harakahdaily.net , Zulkifli Sulong and Azmi Yusof, as defendants.

Mustapa, who is also Kelantan Umno liaison committee chairperson and Jeli MP, 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 minister claimed that on March 24, 2013, PAS and the other defendants published Husam’s alleged libel in an article which appeared 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.