THE Kuala Lumpur High Court set four days from November 6 for the full hearing of Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi’s defamation suit against former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

Malaysiakini, quoting the defendant’s counsel, Mior Nor Haidir Suhaimi, said the trial dates were set during case management before the High Court Registry in Kuala Lumpur this morning.

Zahid filed a civil suit against then Pejuang chairman Dr Mahathir last year over the allegation that Zahid met with Dr Mahathir after the 15th general election in anticipation he would be facing criminal charges.

Zahid, in his statement of claim, denied ever meeting Dr Mahathir to discuss his court cases or any action by enforcement agencies prior to the latter becoming prime minister.

The Bagan Datuk MP claimed that Dr Mahathir’s remarks were defamatory and malicious.

Zahid is seeking aggravated and exemplary damages as well as an injunction against Dr Mahathir, his officers, aides or agents from repeating the allegedly defamatory remarks, as well as instructing the nonagenarian to make efforts to delete or edit out recordings of his remarks published by the media. – March 24, 2023.