KUALA LUMPUR, May 29 — The High Court today set August 28 and 30 to hear the RM10 million suit brought by DAP chairman Karpal Singh against Utusan Melayu (M) Berhad four years ago for misquoting him on a matter relating to Islam.

Judge Datuk Nik Hasmat Nik Mohamad set the dates in the presence of lawyers Sangeet Kaur, for Karpal Singh (picture), and B. Mohana Kumar, for Utusan Melayu.

Karpal Singh, who is the MP for Bukit Gelugor, filed the suit on September 19, 2008, claiming that the Utusan Malaysia newspaper had published a defamatory article entitled “DAP diingat jangan bakar perasaan Melayu” (DAP reminded not to inflame sentiments of Malays), published on August 25, 2008, which stated that he made comments on Islam in his welcoming speech at the 15th DAP National Congress held the previous day.

He claimed that the defamatory words, understood to mean, among others, that Karpal Singh was a politician bent on creating ill-will among the different communities in the country, were absolutely false and malicious and intended to destroy his professional and political careers.

The defendant, in the statement of defence filed on November 3, 2008, stated that the alleged defamatory words were due to a misunderstanding or confusion.

It was written by a journalist and published by the defendant without any malice towards the plaintiff, it added. — Bernama