KUALA LUMPUR: The High Court has set Jan 27, 2014 as the date for the two-day trial to commence in the defamation suit filed by Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim against blogger Papa Gomo.
The PKR adviser filed his lawsuit against Papa Gomo over alleged postings of defamatory words and images implicating him with another man.
High Court Judicial Commissioner Rosilah Yop also set Jan 20 as a case management date, said Anwar's lawyer Muhammad Afiq Mohamad Noor.
Lawyer Parvinder Kaur Sandhu acted for the blogger.
The Opposition Leader said the blogger, identified as Wan Muhammad Azri Wan Deris, 30, had implied that he was engaged in indecent acts with the man.
In his suit filed on March 21, he named Wan Muhammad Azri,30, as the sole defendant.
In his statement of claim, Anwar said the blogger had wrongly posted four defamatory statements in his blog between March 16 and March 20.
The Permatang Pauh MP further said the blogger had connected his blog to weblink containing a series of images.
He added that the blog was accessible to those who surfed the net, causing embarrassment and damages to his character, dignity and reputation.
Anwar said that the posting of libellous words had meant that he was a person who was not fit to hold public office, immoral and an
irresponsible leader.
Anwar is seeking for general, aggravated and exemplary damages and an injunction to stop the blogger from posting similar defamatory words
against him in any manner.
In the statement of defence filed on May 20, Wan Muhammad Azri has denied he is the owner or publisher of the Papa Gomo blog.
He said he has no knowledge and is not responsible for the publication of any libelous words and images of Anwar.
Wan Muhammad Azri said the suit by Anwar against him was frivolous, vexatious and abuse of the court process.
Alternatively, he said that if any individual had written the statement or publish the images was due to social interest and he would rely on qualified privilege, fair comment and justification if he was alleged to have published those words and images.
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