Mahathir, Zahid libel suits unlikely to be settled, says lawyer

 

Dr Mahathir Mohamad (left) sued Ahmad Zahid Hamidi over the alleged derogatory use of the name ‘Kutty’ to refer to the former prime minister, and Zahid sued Mahathir over a statement he had tried to get his corruption charges dropped.

KUALA LUMPUR: Two defamation suits involving Dr Mahathir Mohamad and Ahmad Zahid Hamidi are likely to go to trial later this year as the prospects of the parties settling the cases out of court appear slim.

Mahathir’s lawyer, Mior Nor Haidir Suhaimi, said there appears to be no possibility of the cases being disposed of without contest at the moment.

“As such, the trial dates fixed earlier will be maintained,” he told reporters after online case management before Justice Rozana Ali Yusoff today.

Mior said the judge requested parties to update the court if there are developments before the trials commence.

Sharul Fazli Kamarulzaman and Intan Hanis Afiqah Razali appeared for Zahid.

On April 14, the court suggested that Mahathir and Zahid explore the possibility of settling the two defamation suits between them instead of going to trial.

The court had earlier fixed a four-day trial beginning on Sept 11 to hear Mahathir’s suit against Zahid in relation to Zahid’s allegedly derogatory use of the name “Kutty” to refer to the former prime minister.

In his statement of claim, Mahathir alleged that Zahid had defamed him during an Umno divisional meeting in Kelana Jaya on July 30, 2017.

He claims the statement was meant to imply that he was not born a Malay or a Muslim, and that his original name was “Mahathir son of Iskandar Kutty”.

In his defence, Zahid said the name “Mahathir son of Iskandar Kutty” referred to an individual based on information from an old copy of an identity card.

Zahid also said he had no control over the republication of the statement on any media platform.

In the second suit, Zahid sued Mahathir over Mahathir’s statement that Zahid had sought his help to get corruption charges against him “dropped”.

The High Court has fixed a four-day trial for the suit beginning on Nov 6.

At a Feb 23, 2022 press conference, Mahathir claimed that Zahid and several others had met him at his home just after the 14th general election in 2018.

He is alleged to have said Zahid wanted to be “friendly” with him before Mahathir became the prime minister for a second time in May 2018.

Zahid claimed Mahathir’s remarks were untrue, unwarranted, unsubstantiated and mischievous.

Mahathir, in his defence, stood by his remarks and said he would contest the suit.

Both suits are scheduled to be heard before Rozana. - FMT