Mediation fails, full hearing for ex-minister’s suit against ‘Papagomo’

Na'im Mokhtar is suing blogger Wan Azri Wan Deris for allegedly implicating him in a 'sex scandal' through a defamatory Facebook video posted in 2023.

Former religious affairs minister Na’im Mokhtar (left) is also suing blogger Wan Azri Wan Deris for accusing him of failing to take steps to protect the sanctity of Islam.

PETALING JAYA:

 Former religious affairs minister Na’im Mokhtar’s defamation suit against blogger Wan Azri Wan Deris will go to trial after a court-ordered mediation between both parties failed to reach a resolution.

Na’im and Wan Azri, whose alter ego is believed to be Papagomo, had appeared in the Kuala Lumpur High Court today for the mediation proceedings that took about an hour.

Na’im’s lawyer Akberdin Abdul Kader said Justice Kenneth Yoong fixed March 6 for case management. The court would hear the case on Sept 21 and 24, Harian Metro reported him as saying.

Wan Azri was represented by lawyer Logen Eskandar Abdullah.

In his suit, Na’im alleged that Wan Azri had implicated him in a “sex scandal” through a defamatory video posted on Facebook in October 2023.

The former shariah chief judge is also suing the blogger for accusing him of failing to take steps to protect the sanctity of Islam in a matter involving Ipoh Timor MP Howard Lee.

Lee, a non-Muslim, had been embroiled in controversy for his interpretation of a Quranic verse.

The matter was reported to have been resolved after a meeting between Na’im and Lee, who apologised over the issue. - FMT