KUALA LUMPUR: The High Court here yesterday set June 21 for another case management of a defamation suit filed by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak and his wife Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor against PKR vice-president Mohd Rafizi Ramli and an online news portal owner over oil subsidies.
Judicial Commissioner Rohani Ismail fixed the date in chambers after the suit came up for case management in the presence of lawyer Nor Emelia Iszeham, who represented Najib and Rosmah.
Also present were lawyer Ng Siau Sun appearing for the defendant, Mohd Rafizi and Joanne Leong who appeared for Media Rakyat portal owner Chan Chee Kong.
Nor Emelia told reporters that the court set the date for further case management to update the court on the outcome of the defendant’s leave to appeal in the Federal Court against the Court of Appeal’s decision in striking out their defence of fair comment.
“The leave to appeal at the Federal Court will be heard on June 20,” she said.
On Nov 29 last year, Najib and his wife succeeded in their appeals in the Court of Appeal to strike out a defence of fair comment by the defendants in their defamation lawsuit over oil subsidies.
Najib and Rosmah had filed the suit on April 16, 2015 claiming that Mohd Rafizi, who is also Pandan Member of Parliament had made a disparaging statement against them at a forum on oil subsidies in Bandar Tun Razak, Kuala Lumpur, on Nov 22, 2014.
They alleged that Mohd Rafizi’s speech was recorded by Media Rakyat and uploaded by Chan or his assistant on YouTube and the portal.
They further alleged that Chan had also shared the recording on Media Rakyat’s Facebook account which could be freely accessed by Internet users worldwide.
They said Chan failed to practise responsible journalism by not verifying nor investigating the authenticity of the accusations in the statement before posting them up.
The couple is seeking general, aggravated and exemplary damages deemed fit by the court, interest and costs. — Bernama