KUALA LUMPUR – Four witnesses, including Terengganu’s Sultanah Nur Zahirah, will testify in a defamation suit she filed against Sarawak Report editor Clare Rewcastle-Brown and two others, starting December 16 at the high court here.
Sultanah Nur Zahirah filed the suit over an allegedly defamatory statement in the book The Sarawak Report – The Inside Story of the 1MDB Expose, and is claiming general damages of RM100 million from each of the defendants.
The matter was disclosed by lawyer Datuk Mohd Haaziq Pillay, representing the sultanah, when contacted by Bernama after case management before judicial commissioner John Lee Kien How @ Mohd Johan Lee via videoconference today.
“The earlier trial dates from October 11 to 14 will be vacated, and the court has set the new trial dates of December 16, 17, 20 and 21. About four witnesses, including Sultanah Nur Zahirah, will testify,” he said, adding that the subsequent case management has been fixed for September 10.
Counsel Mervyn Lai, representing Rewcastle-Brown, confirmed the new trial dates.
On Tuesday, the Court of Appeal allowed an appeal by Rewcastle-Brown, Gerakbudaya Enterprise publisher Chong Ton Sin and printer Vinlin Press Sdn Bhd to set aside a high court order exempting Sultanah Nur Zahirah from testifying in the suit against them.
On December 13, 2019, the high court allowed an application by Sultanah Nur Zahirah via Order 14A of the Rules of the High Court 2012 that the suit be decided through legal issues, and in this regard, she is exempted from testifying in the case.
Sultanah Nur Zahirah, who filed the suit on November 21, 2018, said the allegedly defamatory statement infers, among others, that she was involved in corrupt practices and interfered in the Terengganu administration, as well as used her status to influence the establishment of the Terengganu Investment Authority (TIA), which later became 1Malaysia Development Bhd.
She said the statement also construed her as having helped fugitive businessman Low Taek Jho, better known as Jho Low, to become adviser to TIA.
In their statement of defence, the three defendants denied accusing the plaintiff of involvement in corruption.
Rewcastle-Brown has said Sarawak Report did not suggest that the plaintiff was involved in a conspiracy involving Low, nor did it suggest that the plaintiff was involved in the state government’s administration in relation to 1MDB affairs. – Bernama, August 26, 2021
