KUALA LUMPUR: A High Court is set to hear three applications on Sept 25 over the defamation suit filed by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak in relation to 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB).
Justice Vazeer Alam Mydin Meera will hear the applications.
Najib had in March sued Petaling Jaya Utara MP Tony Pua and an online news portal’s owner for allegedly defaming him over 1MDB.
Speaking to reporters here, Pua's lawyer, Alliff Benjamin Suhaimi, said the court had allowed Najib's application for a new hearing date as his lawyers were now abroad.
In his suit, Najib said that Pua, 42, had delivered a speech at a DAP fund raising dinner on Nov 3, last year relating to 1MDB which slandered him.
He said the video of the speech was then uploaded by owner of online news portal Chan Chee Kong, 51, or his agents onto Media Rakyat webpage and it’s Youtube channel as well as shared on its Facebook.
He said Pua, also DAP national publicity secretary, had re-published it on his own Facebook.
Najib said the scandalous nature of the publication of the words have caused serious loss and damage to his reputation and affected specifically to his relationship with the general public and others internationally.
Najib’s lawyer, Choo Shi Jin, said that his client wants to expunge certain parts of Pua’s affidavit-in-suppport as it was hearsay evidence.
"Najib is also applying to strike out part of Chan’s defence as it does not constitute fair comment," added Choo.
Najib, 61, who is Umno president, sued the two in his personal capacity.
Among others, Najib said that the words had implied that he had robbed the people’s funds and thus betrayed the people of Malaysia.
He said the words also implied that he had abused his power as the chairman of the Board of Advisers of 1MDB for his personal gain, is not trustworthy and unfit to hold public office.
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