THE Kuala Lumpur High Court has fixed three days starting on January 29 next year to hear a defamation suit filed by former prime minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob against former Umno Supreme Council member Lokman Noor Adam.

Lawyer Joshua Tan, representing Ismail, said the trial dates, from Jan 29 to 31, 2024, were set by judge Ahmad Shahrir Mohd Salleh on November 29 last year.

At today’s case management, Tan said the court ordered both parties to file documents related to the trial of the suit, including the list of witnesses by March 20.

“The court also fixed this March 21 for further case management,” he said, adding that today’s proceedings was also attended by lawyer Mohd Faiz Abd Rahim, who is representing Lokman.

Ismail, 63, who is Bera MP, filed the suit in his personal capacity on September 8 last year.

In the statement of claim, Ismail said Lokman, 50, had on August 22, 2022, made defamatory statements against him in a video titled “Bila presiden umno panggil tak datang! Tapi PM ada masa jumpa Mahathir – Lokman Adam” (When called by Umno president, he doesn’t come! but the PM has time to see Mahathir – Lokman Adam).

He claimed the malicious, defamatory and untrue statements were uploaded on four social media accounts belonging to the defendant, namely  “Lokman Adam” on YouTube, “Lokman Noor Adam Official” on Facebook, “lokmanooradam” on Instagram and “datoklokmanadam” on Tik Tok.

Ismail said, the words, among other things, meant he had met with Dr Mahathir Mohamad and planned or intended to plan with the former prime minister and other opposition political parties to remain as prime minister by turning his back on and betraying Umno. – Bernama, March 6, 2023.