Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak has filed an application to strike out several paragraphs in the defence statement by former MCA president Tun Dr Ling Liong Sik, who is being sued for defamation. Lawyer M. Reza Hassan, representing Najib, said the application was filed last January 21. He told reporters this after meeting High Court judge Datuk John Louis O'hara in chambers for case management of the suit today. Also present during the proceeding was lawyer Gregory Ling, representing Liong Sik, who is his father. Meanwhile, Gregory said Liong Sik had filed an application last February 15 to strike out the suit filed by Najib. "The defendant is seeking to strike out the suit on grounds of abuse of court process and 'no reasonable cause of action'," he said, adding that Liong Sik's application to strike out the suit was contained in an affidavit, dated last February 15 and was supported by former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad. On the court's suggestion that the suit be resolved through the mediation process, Gregory said discussion was still in progress and the court had set March 31 for case management. Najib filed the suit on October 27 last year, seeking, among others, an order for Liong Sik to issue a written apology to be published in newspapers or magazines to be identified by Najib, in a form and terms determined by the plaintiff. In the statement of claim, Najib also sought an injunction to restrain Liong Sik, or through his servants or agents, from further speaking or publishing any defamatory article or any similar words defamatory to him. He also sought general, special, aggravated and exemplary damages, costs and other relief deemed fit by the court. Najib said Liong Sik had falsely and maliciously made slanderous statements against him while attending a ceremony at a university college here that were published in a news portal on October 3 last year via an article. The prime minister claimed that the defendant had uttered the defamatory words with malicious intention to put the plaintiff in the position of public scandal, contempt and odium. – Bernama, February 18, 2016.]]>
No comments:
Post a Comment