KUALA LUMPUR: Muhyiddin Yassin is opposing Ahmad Zahid Hamidi’s application for an interim injunction from repeating or publishing alleged defamatory words on social media that the Umno president sought the former prime minister’s assistance to drop his corruption cases.
Zahid’s lawyer, Baharudeen Mohamed Ariff, said High Court judge Rozana Ali Yusoff will hear the application on May 25.
“Muhyiddin has filed an affidavit to contest Zahid’s application to obtain the injunction pending the final outcome of the suit,” he told FMT.
Baharudeen said Zahid would file an affidavit in reply to Muhyiddin’s objection.
During a case management last week, parties were also directed to file their written submissions by May 17.
“The inter partes hearing on the injunction will be heard on May 25 via online proceedings,” Baharudeen said.
Zahid, who is also the Bagan Datuk MP, filed the suit last month. He is asking for damages and other relief deemed fit by the court.
Muhyiddin, who is the sole defendant, is alleged to have made the claim against Zahid during the Johor election campaign.
Zahid has denied having met Muhyiddin to seek the then prime minister’s help to resolve his ongoing criminal cases. Muhyiddin was prime minister between March 2020 and August last year.
In the statement of claim, Zahid said the alleged defamatory words uttered by Muhyiddin implied he was not qualified to be the Umno president and Barisan Nasional (BN) chairman.
He claimed the words meant that he was resorting to shortcuts to resolve his criminal cases for personal interest.
He also said there was malice in Muhyiddin coming out with the statement as Perikatan Nasional was one of the coalitions contesting in the Johor elections.
Zahid is standing trial on a total of 80 corruption charges here and in Shah Alam.
Last week, Zahid filed a similar suit against Dr Mahathir Mohamad, who was prime minister for the second time between May 2018 and February 2020 after the Pakatan Harapan coalition was voted into power.
At the press conference on Feb 23, Mahathir had claimed that Zahid and several others had met him at his house in 2018. - FMT
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