The 'false news' trial of Tenaganita director Irene Fernandez, which was scheduled to resume today, was postponed to Jan 12 as there was no interpreter available for a Bangladeshi witness.

Magistrate Juliana Mohamed adjourned the hearing to Friday after defence counsel M Puravalen told the court that there was no interpreter present for witness Zakir Hussain.

The trial which was last heard on Nov 7 last year was postponed almost 50 times last year due to the unavailability of a Bangladeshi interpreter.

It is understood that the Malaysian courts have only two official Bangladeshi interpreters who work on a very tight schedule.

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

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

The trial which began in June 1996 is the longest ongoing criminal trial in the country's legal history.

Defamation suit

Meanwhile, the Kuala Lumpur High Court is also scheduled to fix a hearing date this Friday for a defamation suit Fernandez brought against Utusan Malaysia .

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 her 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 give time for Fernandez to consider the matter.

Fernandez confirmed with malaysiakini yesterday that she will proceed with the suit although her criminal trial is ongoing at the magistrate court.