Siti Mastura ordered to file statement of defence for lawsuit by three DAP leaders

KUALA LUMPUR: The George Town High Court orders Kepala Batas MP Dr Siti Mastura Muhammad on Tuesday (Dec 19) to file her statement of defence before or on Jan 11, 2024, in relation to the lawsuits filed against her by three DAP leaders.

The lawsuits filed separately by DAP chairman Lim Guan Eng, his father Tan Sri Lim Kit Siang and Seputeh MP Teresa Kok Suh Sim as plaintiffs on Nov 27, are linked to Siti Mastura's speech during the political talk while campaigning for the Kemaman by-election.

Lawyer Datuk S.N Nair, who is representing all three plaintiffs, said the court also instructed them to file replies to the defence before or on Jan 26, 2024.

"The court has set Feb 9, 2024, for further case management," he said on WhatsApp after case management was done via e-Review in front of Senior Asst Registrar Tunku Intan Nadiah Tunku Mohammed Nazarin.

The three plaintiffs were also represented by lawyers Jaden Phoon Wai Ken and Wong Guo Jin, while lawyer Mohamad Hakim Faharmi Hassan acted as Siti Mastura's counsel.

The three plaintiffs have claimed that Siti Mastura made defamatory statements about them being related to the Communist Party and its leader Chin Peng, along with first Singaporean prime minister Lee Kuan Yew, during a political talk on Nov 4, alleging that they were linked to the Communist Party, supported, practised and spread communist ideology and philosophy in the country.

The three politicians stressed that the defendants' claims were baseless, false, and with ill intent as they deliberately associated them with the Communist Party and Chin Peng.

"The defendant's actions were motivated by deceit to garner publicity to boost her political party's image," the three plaintiffs said in their statement of claim, in which they seek general damages, aggravated damages and exemplary damages, as well as an injunction to prevent the defendant from further publishing the same statement. – Bernama