Dr M hospitalised, suit against Zahid adjourned to July 19

KUALA LUMPUR: The hearing of Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s defamation suit against Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi relating to alleged defamatory statements with regard to the “kutty” issue has been adjourned to July 19.

Judicial Commissioner Gan Techiong granted the postponement after an application by Dr Mahathir’s lawyer, Mior Nor Haidir Suhaimi cited that his client had been admitted to the National Heart Institute (IJN) since Jan 26.

IJN had also sent a letter to the court indicating that Dr Mahathir, 98, was unable to attend court proceedings yesterday due to his health condition.

“Our client was given a sick leave certificate by IJN from Jan 26 to Feb 18. We request that the trial be postponed,” said Mior Nor Haidir, assisted by lawyer Rafique Rashid Ali, Bernama reported.

Mohamed Shahrul Fazli Kamarulzaman, who represented Ahmad Zahid, 71, suggested that the trial begin in October, but Gan objected saying it should be earlier due to the advanced age of the plaintiff.

“We can vacate other cases to accommodate this trial. Most probably, Tun Mahathir is one of the oldest plaintiffs in this court,” he said.

After approving the adjournment, the court set new trial dates on July 19, Aug 26 to 27, and Oct 29 to 30.

Mior Nor Haidir conveyed to the court that the former premier and his son, Datuk Seri Mukhriz Mahathir, will be presented as witnesses during the trial.

Mohamed Shahrul Fazli said that Ahmad Zahid and another subpoenaed witness were scheduled to testify at the trial.

Dr Mahathir filed the lawsuit against Ahmad Zahid on July 20, 2022.

In his statement of claim, Dr Mahathir alleged that Ahmad Zahid had issued a defamatory statement against him during an Umno divisional meeting in Kelana Jaya on July 30, 2017.