SHAH ALAM (Jan 8): Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, who is hospitalised for an injury, will ask the High Court to reschedule next week’s hearing of his suit against Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
Muhammad Rafique Rashid Ali, the lawyer representing Mahathir, told The Edge that the counsels had received instructions to write to the court. Anwar’s lawyers have also been informed on the development, he noted.
“In any event, (next week’s) hearing will not go on as Tun is hospitalised,” he said.
Mahathir, 100, fell at his home in Seri Kembangan on Monday and is presently warded at the National Heart Institute. The two-time prime minister suffered a fracture to his right hip though doctors had advised against a surgery due to his age, according to his son Datuk Seri Mukhriz Mahathir.
He was scheduled to take the stand before Judicial Commissioner Datuk Donald Joseph Franklin on Jan 13 and Jan 14 for continued cross-examination by Anwar’s lawyers led by Ranjit Singh, Razlan Hadri Zulkifli and Aliff Benjamin Suhaimi.
Mahathir had filed a RM150 million suit following Anwar’s statement at a PKR congress in March 2023. At the event, Anwar accused Mahathir and his children of amassing wealth while avoiding paying taxes, allegations which Mahathir claimed had tarnished his reputation.
Anwar maintains that what he said was the truth.
Other dates of Jan 28-Jan 29 and Feb 9 had also been fixed earlier. At the current juncture, it remains uncertain how long Mahathir would be hospitalised.