The High Court in Kuala Lumpur today struck out Mukhriz Mahathir's defamation claim on the first two press statements made by Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak's aide Tengku Sariffuddin Tengku Ahmad.

However, the court held that the third and fourth press statements did refer to Mukhriz, the former Kedah menteri besar, and the matter would go for trial.

Judicial Commissioner Roslan A Bakar ruled on this over Tengku Sariffuddin's application to strike out the whole suit last August.

“After having heard the submissions, the court has decided that the press statements dated April 15 and April 20, 2016, were not questioning the plaintiff and hence it does not show any cause of action.

“However, the press statements dated April 23 and 26 showed there are triable issues, which require the matter to go by way of trial based on Rules of Court 2012,” Justice Roslan said in his oral judgment.

The judicial commissioner then fixed March 14 to hear Mukhriz's application on whether his lawyers can pose several questions to Tengku Sariffuddin on his defence statement.

Mukhriz was represented by Mohd Haniff Khatri Abdulla and Rafique Rashid Ali, while Jahaberdeen Mohd Yunus appeared for the PM's aide.

The former Kedah menteri besar filed the suit last May, claiming the statements suggested that he would be given the prime minister's post once Muhyiddin Yassin steps down after replacing Najib as prime minister.

Mukhriz alleged that Tengku Sariffuddin painted a picture that he was crazy for power and would do anything to achieve his ambition to become the prime minister, including cheating, which goes against the democratic process.

The first press statement dated April 15 claimed that Mukhriz's father Dr Mahathir Mohamad had conspired with Muhyiddin to topple Najib.

The second press statement dated April 20 alleged that Muhyiddin was promised the post of prime minister with the understanding that he would groom Mukhriz (to be the next PM).

The final two press statements claimed that Mukhriz will benefit from the move by Mahathir and Muhyiddin to unseat the sitting PM and that he had contested the post of vice-president of Umno to head the party at one time.

Finally, the aide had also suggested that former prime minister Mahathir blamed Najib when Mukhriz's bid to become vice-president was unsuccessful.

Tengku Sariffuddin in his defence denied that he issued such accusations or statements that Mukhriz had conspired with Mahathir and Muhyiddin to topple a legal government, and put the burden on the former Kedah menteri besar to prove he had issued those words within the ordinary meaning, or via innuendo or inference.