From The Star
By M.Mageswari

The High Court has set March 16 next year for the case management of RM10mil defamation suit filed by Opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim against academician Dr Chandra Muzaffar.

Deputy registrar Norazlin Othman set the date after meeting lawyer Wan Anuar Shaddat Mohamed Amin, who acted for Anwar and counsel Mohd Zaharudeen Harun, who represented Dr Chandra, in her chambers Thursday.

The Parti Keadilan Rakyat adviser filed the suit against Dr Chandra on March 6 last year.

Anwar claimed that Dr Chandra @ Chandrasegaran Pillai had falsely and maliciously spoken about his conduct at a forum at Menara Star in Petaling Jaya.

He said that the alleged defamatory/libellous comments had been published by newspapers on March 5 last year.

Anwar said Dr Chandra spoke the offending words to disparage him in both his private and official capacities, including as former deputy Prime Minister and former Finance Minister.

In the statement of claim, Anwar said the offending words were defamatory and/or libellous and meant, among other things, that he promoted and incited racial hatred among the races in Malaysia.

The words also meant that he had committed criminal offences including sedition, that he was unpatriotic, a racist and/or a bigot, and that he had no morals.

He is asking the High Court for an injunction to restrain the defendant, his agents and/or his servants from further uttering or publishing such/similar words.

In a statement of defence filed on May 16 last year, Dr Chandra denied making defamatory comments against Anwar.

In asking for Anwar’s claims to be dismissed with costs, Dr Chandra said he relied on the defence of justification.

Alternatively, Dr Chandra contended that if the words were defamatory of Anwar, they were published on an occasion of qualified privilege without malice.