Hearing date set for ex-professor

The Star

KUALA LUMPUR: The High Court has set Sept 24 and Sept 25 to hear former Universiti Islam Antarabangsa (UIA) law professor Dr Abdul Aziz Bari’s defamation suit against Kulim Bandar Baru MP Datuk Zulkifli Noordin and Utusan Melayu (M) Bhd.

High Court judge Justice Zabariah Mohd Yusof fixed the date after issuing orders for the parties in chambers yesterday.

Lawyer Azhana Mohd Khairudin acted for the professor while counsel Rohanidah Shafie appeared on behalf of Utusan.

Rohanidah later said the judge had ordered the parties to file various documents including statement of agreed facts and issues to be tried by April 13.

She said the judge had set April 17 for case management of the civil suit.

Dr Abdul Aziz sued Zulkifli and Utusan for allegedly defaming him in relation to his remarks on the Sultan of Selangor’s decree over a church raid.

He also named Utusan Malaysia group editor-in-chief Datuk Aziz Ishak as a defendant in the defamation suit.

In his lawsuit, Dr Abdul Aziz said Zulkifli had on Oct 17 last year uttered slanderous words against him, which were published in the Utusan Malaysia newspaper the next day.

He said the words implied that he was rude and not qualified to be a lecturer or a professor.

He said the publication had caused him to suffer embarrassment, humiliation and torment in terms of dignity, credibility, character and reputation.

Dr Abdul Aziz said he had been insulted and ridiculed among society by the article.

He said Zulkifli had uttered such words which were published by Utusan on purpose, without any cross-checks and without considering his dignity.

He said he had sent a notice to the defendants to withdraw the allegations, apologise to him and pay damages but they did not.

In the statement of claim, filed on Dec 22 last year, he is seeking general, exemplary and aggravated damages, costs and further relief deemed fit by the court.

He is asking the High Court to direct the defendants to apologise to him and retract all defamatory words in the newspaper within 24 hours from the court order.