KUALA LUMPUR-The Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Mashitah Ibrahim and two others have to file their defence by Oct 30 in relation to a defamation suit against them by Pas president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang.
High Court judge Datin Zabariah Mohd Yusof made the order when the matter came up for case management yesterday.
Mashitah, Sinar Karangkraf Sdn Bhd which published Sinar Harian newspaper and the newspaper's printer Ultimate Print Sdn Bhd are named as defendants in the suit filed on Sept 18.
Abdul Hadi claimed that Mashitah had allegedly defamed him in her column in Sinar Harian published on March 2.
He alleged that the defamatory statements had referred to him directly as his name and position were mentioned in the article.
He further claimed that the statements in their ordinary meaning meant that he was immoral and had a scandal with a woman and was not eligible to be a Pas leader.
Abdul Hadi said he suffered considerable distress and embarrassment due to the publication.
"The defendants had made and published the statements without checking the facts and with malice," he stated.
He contended that although he had sent notices dated June 20 to the defendants to retract the statements, apologise and pay damages to him, they had failed to do so.
Abdul Hadi is seeking general, exemplary and aggravated damages as well as an order for the defendants to retract the statements and to publish their apology on the front page of Utusan Malaysia.
- New Straits Times
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