Court orders Nallakaruppan to file statement of defence by May 22
KUALA LUMPUR, May 15 — The High Court here today gave Malaysian United Indian Party president Senator Datuk S. Nallakaruppan until May 22 to file his statement of defence in the defamation suit against him by Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
Judicial Commissioner Vazeer Alam Mydin Meera also set the same date for case management.
Anwar (picture) filed the suit on March 26 against Nallakaruppan, Utusan Melayu (Malaysia) Bhd and its group editor-in-chief Datuk Abdul Aziz Ishak over the defendant’s libellous remarks in a statement which was published on the front page of the Utusan Malaysia newspaper on March 20.
Nallakaruppan was represented by senior counsel Datuk Seri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah and Utusan Melayu by counsel Norhazira Abu Haiyan.
In his statement of claim, Anwar who was represented by counsel Latheefa Koya, said the libellous words contained in the article were false and baseless and published with malicious intent.
Anwar claimed that he had sent a letter of demand through his lawyers to the defendants to retract the libellous words but they failed to do so.
The plaintiff is claiming RM100 million in general damages, as well as aggravated damages, exemplary damages, costs and other relief deemed fit by the court.
He is also seeking an injunction to prohibit the defendants and their agents from continuing to state or publish the libellous words. — Bernama
