Najib and Ling agree on mediation over libel suit

KUALA LUMPUR: Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak and Tun Dr Ling Liong Sik have agreed to go for mediation to find a possible settlement to the libel suit involving them.

This follows the decision of High Court judge John Louis O’Hara to refer the civil matter for a mediation.

“Both parties have agreed to go for mediation,” said the Prime Minister’s lead counsel Datuk Mohd Hafarizam Harun after a case management hearing yesterday.

He said the parties would have to inform the judge on the next case management date on Feb 18 on the progress of the mediation efforts.

Najib sued Dr Ling last year over remarks which allegedly implied that he had misused public fund for personal interest.

In his lawsuit, Najib said that an online news portal had on Oct 3 last year published an article saying Dr Ling had made slanderous statements against him at a function at Tunku Abdul Rahman University College.

In his statement of defence, Dr Ling said the suit was in bad faith, malicious and with ulterior motive.

He said the civil claim was frivolous and vexatious, and denied all the allegations against him.