This article first appeared in The Edge Financial Daily, on January 29, 2016.

IPOH: Tun Dr Ling Liong Sik, who is sued for defamation by Datuk Seri Najib Razak, says he will only agree to a mediation process to settle the suit if it is carried out on a “one-to-one” basis to avoid dragging the case any further.

The former MCA president added that the parties concerned should not bother starting discussions if that was not going to be based on truth and transparency.

“Our lawyers are now negotiating whether to mediate or not. If (to) mediate, it must be one-to-one.

“Or else, whole life it will be a case of referring back for instructions. Wasting his time and wasting my time,” Ling said in Kampar yesterday after meeting 57 scholarship recipients of Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman.

In an earlier report, Ling had said he was agreeable on settling the suit with the condition of requiring the prime minister to be present.

Najib filed the suit in October last year after Ling said the prime minister was unfit to lead Malaysia after receiving some RM2.6 billion, as reported by The Wall Street Journal.

In his defence, Ling said the Umno president had failed to disclose the identity of the donor, the source of the funds and how they were utilised.

He said Najib had admitted to receiving the money as a donation, but had not channelled the money into Umno’s accounts.

In his counter-suit, Ling said Najib had abused the court process and did not pursue any action against others, including Umno leaders who had repeatedly criticised his conduct and integrity on various occasions. — The Malaysian Insider