The hearing of the defamation suit filed by Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak against Harakah and Harakahdaily pertaining to 1MDB will begin on March 16 next year.

High Court judge Hue Siew Kheng fixed the date in her chambers today in the presence of Najib’s lawyer Mohd Hafarizam Harun and lawyer Nadziatun Naim who is representing Harakahdaily editor-in-chief Taufek Yahya.

Mohd Hafarizam, when met by reporters afterwards, said the court set March 16, 17, 18, 21 and 22 for the hearing.

Mohd Hafarizam also said the Appeals Court has set Feb 5 next year to hear the appeal of the Prime Minister on the High Court’s decision on Aug 6 which dismissed his application to strike out two paragraphs from the statement of defence by Harakah and Harakahdaily .

Najib had filed the suit on March 18 this year and named Harakah managing director Dr Rosli Yaakob and Harakahdaily editor-in-chief Taufek Yahya as the defendants.

The suit is pertaining to the publishing of an article written by Rosli on Feb 19 regarding 1MDB, a sovereign wealth fund.

In his statement of claim, Najib said the article had imputed that he had misused 1MDB funds.

He said the publishing of the article was meant to tarnish his reputation and had resulted in people condemning him on social media and the mass media.

Najib also claimed that Taufek failed to practice responsible journalism by not verifying whether what he had written was truthful before publishing the article.

The prime minister further claimed that the defendants had done this on purpose in pursuit of the own personal agenda which was to destroy the people’s confidence in him.

He is seeking general damages, aggravated damages, exemplary damages and interest as well an injunction to stop the defendants or their assistants from further publishing such articles.

- Bernama