Two Parti Amanah Negara (Amanah) leaders representing defendants in the defamation suit filed by Prime Minister Najib Razak against Harakah and Harakahdaily have been replaced.

Najib's lawyer Hafarizam Harun said the decision to replace the lawyers were among matters decided during a case management session at Kuala Lumpur High Court.

"Today what happened in chambers is that there are new solicitors appointed for first and second defendants.

"The two new solicitors are Wan Rohimi Wan Daud and Takiyuddin Hassan," Hafarizam told reporters after meeting High Court judge Hue Siew Kheng in chambers today.

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

The two were previously represented by Amanah Sepang MP Hanipa Maidin and Amanah deputy youth chief Faiz Fadzil.

Faiz, who was present in the court room, later told reporters that he was surprised when notified by his client yesterday on the change of lawyers.

“We were very ready to go for trial. We have all the documents ready

“There was no reason given but it was the instruction by the client,” he said.

Asked whether the change had anything to do with the fact that he has left PAS to join Amanah, Faiz merely said: “No comment on that.”

‘Hearing to amend statement of claim on March 21'

Hafarizam, meanwhile, also said that he had submitted an application to amend his client’s original statement of claim in the suit.

“March 21 has been set for the application to amend the statement of claim to include two more paragraphs in relation to the fact that in August last year, the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission had issued a statement saying that the RM2.6 billion is not from 1MDB.

“And in late January this year the attorney-general had issued a statement saying that the RM2.6 billion is a donation and that the prime minister is not involved in SRC's 42 billion (issue),” Hafarizam said.

The proposed additions to the original statement of claim, he said, will strengthen Najib’s argument that Harakah and Harakahdaily had defamed him.

In view of the latest developments today, he added that the original dates for the full trial from March 16,17,18, 21 and 22 will be vacated.

According to the original statement of claim, Najib said the published article contained words which referred to him with malicious intent that he had abused the funds belonging to state-owned investor 1MDB.