Mediation fails: DAP leaders' defamation suit against PAS' Kepala Batas MP to go to trial

GEORGE TOWN: DAP chairman Lim Guan Eng and two other senior leaders of the party, as well as Kepala Batas MP Dr Siti Mastura Muhammad, failed to reach an agreement to settle a defamation suit through the mediation process on Wednesday (May 15).

Lawyer Datuk Sankara Narayanan Nair, representing Guan Eng, DAP veteran Tan Sri Lim Kit Siang and Seputeh MP Teresa Kok, said as a settlement could not be reached by the parties involved, the case would proceed to trial, which has been set for Sept 2.

"The mediation process started at 11am on Wednesday, but all parties could not reach an agreement. Therefore, we will go to court for a hearing.

"The trial will start on Sept 2. It will be a joint trial, it has been consolidated," he told reporters after the mediation process outside the High Court Mediation Room here Wednesday.

Also present were Siti Mastura and her lawyer Mohd Faizi Che Abu.

In November last year, the media reported that the three DAP leaders filed a defamation suit against Siti Mastura over her claims they were related to Communist Party of Malaya leader Chin Peng and former Singapore Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew.

She allegedly made the claim in her speech during the Kemaman by-election last year.

The DAP leaders filed the suit through the legal firm of Messrs. SN Nair & Partners at the George Town High Court. - Bernama