Zahid's committal proceedings hearing against Dr M postponed to July 21

The hearing of the contempt of court proceedings filed by Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi against former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad, which was fixed for today at the High Court, has been postponed to July 21.

The proceedings concern Mahathir’s press conference on Dec 5 last year at the lobby of the Kuala Lumpur Court Complex, during which he displayed several documents, including his identity card, after giving his testimony in his lawsuit against the Umno president regarding the “kutty” issue.

Judicial commissioner Gan Techiong allowed the hearing to be postponed after Mahathir’s lawyer, Mior Nor Haidir Suhaimi, informed the court that his legal team required time to review Zahid’s affidavit-in-reply, which they only received yesterday (May 21).

“We need to seek instructions from our client regarding the contents of the affidavit, and my client is currently in Langkawi attending the Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace Exhibition.

“Therefore, we request that today’s proceedings be postponed. I believe the defendant’s counsel has no objection,” he said.

Lawyer Shahrul Fazli Kamarulzaman, representing Zahid, confirmed submitting the affidavit yesterday and did not object to the postponement.

Meanwhile, the court set new dates, from July 22 to 24, for the trial of the suit and June 19 for the case management.

Mahathir had completed giving his testimony in the lawsuit proceedings on Dec 5 last year, while his son, Mukhriz, who was the plaintiff’s last witness, completed his on Dec 9.

Mahathir, 99, sued Zahid, 72, for allegedly issuing defamatory statements against him regarding the “kutty” issue.

Based on the statement of claim filed on July 20, 2022, Mahathir claimed that Zahid issued a defamatory statement against him during the Umno division meeting in Kelana Jaya on July 30, 2017.

The statement of claim also said Zahid’s statement was republished on Astro Awani’s YouTube and several online news portals, which can be accessed by internet users without any restrictions.

- Bernama

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