The High Court of Penang today set five days from Oct 29 for hearing of the defamation suit filed by Consortium Zenith BUCG Sdn Bhd against Parti Cinta Malaysia (PCM) vice-president Huan Cheng Guan and Utusan Melayu (M) Bhd.

Justice Rosilah Yop set the date at the case management in chambers today during which the plaintiff was represented by counsel Mohd Shahrul Fazli and Mohd Haziq Razali, while Huan, by Baljit Singh and Low Joo Hean.

Baljit told reporters when met outside the court that the defendant would call 10 witnesses including Works Minister Fadillah Yusof and Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Abdul Rahman Dahlan.

Consortium Zenith, entrusted by the Penang government to build the undersea tunnel in Penang worth RM6.34 billion, sued Huan and Utusan Melayu (M) Bhd on Aug 11, 2016 for slander and libel.

In September 2016, the company changed its name to Consortium Zenith Construction Sdn Bhd after dropping Beijing Urban Construction Group (BUCG) from the project.

It was awarded the project, a joint venture with China Railway Construction Co Ltd, Beijing Urban Construction Group, Sri Tinggi Sdn Bhd and Juteras Sdn Bhdamong, through tender.

- Bernama