Lim Kit Siang and Hanif Omar are in talks to settle the DAP veteran's defamation lawsuit against the former inspector-general of police over the latter's remark on the leader's arrest linked to the May 13, 1969 racial riots.
The Iskandar Puteri MP's counsel Rayveni Asogan confirmed this when met after case management of the matter in the chambers of Kuala Lumpur High Court judge Azimah Omar this morning.
"The court has set June 24 for case management to update on any possible settlement (of the suit).
"The case management date is to update the court if parties agree to settle. The terms of negotiation are still open.
"If not (able to settle), then the matter would go for trial," Rayveni told reporters.
Hanif's counsel Janani Kumari confirmed the matter.
Neither Lim nor Hanif was present in court.
On Oct 19 last year, Lim filed the civil suit against Hanif over the latter's remarks, which the DAP veteran had described as a “cock and bull story".
The suit concerns an article published in the Malay-language newspaper Sinar Hariantitled "Tun Hanif buat pendedahan DAP, PAS", which was published on Sept 6 last year.
In the article, Hanif was quoted as stating that he was forced to incarcerate Lim for the sake of national harmony during the 1969 racial riots.
"DAP suggested that Peninsular Malaysia is split into two, East Coast for the Malays and the West Coast for the Chinese.
"What was my answer? I put Lim Kit Siang in prison.
"He was in (detention) for two years. That was Hanif's way when I was the inspector-general of police," he had said.
The following day, Lim demanded Hanif to prove his claim within 48 hours.
Calling it the “greatest cock and bull story", the DAP veteran claimed that it was part of an agenda to demonise him and the party.
"I challenge Hanif to quote the chapter and verse, date and place, where I had made such a ridiculous proposal. If the information is classified as an official secret, then it should be declassified.
"I give Hanif two days to respond to this challenge or Malaysians must conclude that he is senile or has a special agenda to demonise me and DAP with such a lie.
"I reserve my right to institute legal action to vindicate my character and reputation, which I will disclose after two days," he had said.
On Dec 20 last year, Hanif filed a counterclaim against Lim.
In the countersuit, Hanif claimed that Lim had defamed the former through social media and statements uploaded on websites in September last year.
He further claimed that Lim's remarks had implied that he had promoted “cock-and-bull” stories on Lim's arrest under the now-defunct Internal Security Act, and that the former IGP was a senile old man, a liar, a person with no credibility and manipulator of historical facts, among others. - Mkini
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