The "false news" trial of Tenaganita director Irene Fernandez is scheduled to resume tomorrow after being adjourned since Nov 7 last year.

The trial at the Kuala Lumpur magistrate court which began in June 1996 is the longest ongoing criminal trial in the country's legal history.

Fernandez is being charged with "maliciously publishing false news" for releasing a memorandum about tortures and deaths in the illegal immigrants detention camps at a press conference in August 1995.

The women's rights activist and Keadilan supreme council member faces three years in prison if convicted. She is currently out on bail.

Deputy public prosecutor Shamsul Sulaiman is expected to cross-examine Bangladeshi witness Zakir Hussein when the trial resumes.

In the previous hearings, Zakir, 37, who is the third former detainee to testify, recounted several incidents of physical torture during his detention in the Semeyih illegal immigrants camp five years ago.

Defamation suit

Meanwhile, Fernandez told malaysiakini today that she will also proceed with her defamation suit against Utusan Malaysia in the Kuala Lumpur High Court on Jan 12.

Fernandez is suing the Malay daily over an article which appeared on Sept 20, 1995 which stated that she had failed to cooperate with the police in their investigations into the allegations found in the memorandum.

In the suit, Fernandez claimed that the article was written with malice and had meant that she was purposely evading the police, was insincere and lacked integrity.

In defence, Utusan Malaysia denied defaming Fernandez and stated that the article was based on facts.

Fernandez had started testifying on Nov 23 last year but was stopped by justice RK Nathan who asked if it was wise for her to give evidence on matters which are linked to the criminal charge she is facing.

The court then fixed Jan 12 for mention after counsel Malik Imtiaz asked the court to adjourn the matter to another date to give time for Fernandez to consider the matter.