KUALA LUMPUR (March 7): Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad could be inching closer to a settlement in his defamation suit against former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak at the High Court.

When met after proceedings on Friday, Dzulkefly said discussions are still ongoing, while Najib’s counsel Muhammad Farhan Shafee said that parties are trying to reach an amicable solution to the matter.

Farhan said Judicial Commissioner Arziah Mohamed Apandi has fixed April 7 as case management, and there is a possibility that the dates could be brought forward if there are developments.

Earlier, parties met Arziah in chambers before leaving the court.

Najib was also present, accompanied by prison officers, as he is currently serving his ongoing jail sentence after being found guilty for the SRC International Sdn Bhd case.

The court had initially fixed several days this week (March 5 to 7) for hearing before rumour of a possible settlement arose.

Dzulkefly had filed the RM5 million defamation suit against Najib at the High Court here on Dec 31, 2021, following Najib’s Facebook post which alleged the minister had practised nepotism to ensure his daughter Nurul Iman’s appointment as a board member of Amanah Ikhtiar Malaysia in 2019.

The Parti Amanah Negara politician alleges that Najib’s post was politically motivated and clearly intended to defame and tarnish Dzulkefly’s reputation.

However, Najib in his defence claims that the post had nothing in connection with Dzulkefly, and asserts that his Facebook post referred to the Pakatan Harapan coalition party.

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