KUALA LUMPUR (Sept 18): DAP leader Lim Kit Siang's defamation suit against former inspector-general of police (IGP) Tun Mohammed Hanif Omar over the latter's speech at a convention a year ago will go to trial in April next year after both parties failed to reach an out-of-court settlement.
High Court judge Datuk Azimah Omar has fixed April 13 to 16 next year to hear the case, after attempting to resolve the dispute between both parties last month.
Lawyer Sangeet Kaur Deo, who represents the Iskandar Puteri MP, told theedgemarkets.com that both parties failed to reach an agreement and settlement today.
Lim, 78, filed the suit against Mohammed Hanif, who is the sole defendant, on Oct 17 last year, claiming that the former IGP had defamed him in a speech at the "Karamah Bangsa" convention at Universiti Teknologi Mara in Shah Alam on Sept 6 last year, which was published by Malay daily Sinar Harian.
In the statement of claim, Lim stated that Mohammed Hanif had wrongfully and maliciously caused the alleged defamatory words to be published on the news portals Malaysiakini and Free Malaysia Today on the same day as well as on the next day.
Lim claimed that the alleged defamatory words, among others, were intended to mean that he planned to order DAP to split Peninsular Malaysia into two parts to separate the Malay and Chinese communities.
He also claimed that the alleged defamatory words had affected his reputation as an MP and public figure.
Lim said a letter dated Sept 12, 2018, was sent to Mohammed Hanif seeking that he retract the alleged defamatory words and apologise.
However, Mohammed Hanif responded to the letter, denying that he made the alleged defamatory words against Lim.
Lim is seeking general, aggravated and exemplary damages.
Lawyer Datuk M Muralee Menon appeared on behalf of the former IGP today.