Court wants detailed submissions in Najib's suit against Rafizi

KUALA LUMPUR:  A High Court set March 29 to hear further submissions over the application by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Abdul Razak and his wife to strike out a defence of fair comment by PKR vice-president Mohd Rafizi Ramli over a suit in relation to the issue of removal of oil subsidies.

Justice Noraini Abdul Rahman ordered both parties to file comprehensive submissions for the hearing.

Najib and Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor want to strike out their defence of fair comment on grounds that the disputed words were "statement of facts and not statement of comments".

Their counsel, Datuk Mohd Hafarizam Harun, and Rafizi's lawyer, Ranjit Singh, confirmed the matter.

"We have to file our comprehensive submissions before March 24," added Ranjit.

In their suit, Najib and his wife said Rafizi had delivered a slanderous speech against them at a forum in Bandar Tun Razak on Nov 22, 2014 on issues relating to oil subsidies.

Najib said Rafizi had uttered offending words in respect of his office while Rosmah said Rafizi’s words implied that she had committed a criminal act.

They said the recording of the speech was uploaded by Media Rakyat’s owner, Chan Chee Kong, on Youtube, Media Rakyat’s webpage and its Facebook page.

In the suit filed in April last year, Najib said the statement meant he had unlawfully stolen the people’s money in connection with the removal of oil subsidies for his personal gain.

The couple are seeking general, aggravated and exemplary damages for slander and libel; general, aggravated and exemplary damages from Chan for libel.

The couple also want Chan to remove the recording from Youtube, Media Rakyat’s webpage and Facebook page with immediate effect from the date of judgment.

In the statement of defence filed on May 29, the defendants relied on qualified privilege and fair comment on a matter of public interest.