The Kuala Lumpur High Court has set aside five days beginning May 10 to hear a RM546 million suit brought by a billboard advertising company against the Barisan Nasional over the termination of a contract.

Deputy registrar Nur Yusliana Yusoff fixed the date after meeting the BN's counsel Abu Bakar Isa Ramat and Pentas Permata Sdn Bhd's (PPSB) counsel Catherine Durai in chambers.

Nur Yusliana also set March 18 for final case management. The suit will be heard before Justice Alizatul Khair Osman Khairuddin.

Pentas Permata filed the suit against the BN on Dec 7, 2007, for terminating a contract signed on Jan 5, 2006, for the supply and installation of outdoor advertising billboards to promote the BN in the 2008 general election.

The company, which was appointed as the agent to install the billboards for the BN, named BN Malaysia, represented by its general officer Yaakob Mohammad as the defendant.

In its statement of claim, it said that according to the contract, the BN held the right to terminate it anytime within six months of its signing but the termination notice was issued after six months.

The company claimed that it suffered total losses of RM546,552,800 as a result of the action and is seeking restitution of the amount, costs, interest and other reliefs deemed fit by the court.

The BN, in its affidavit-in-reply, claimed that the termination of the contract was valid because PPSB failed to show any progress in the duties that were to be carried out by the company as per the terms of the contract.

It added that the BN was the wrong party to sue and that the right channel was through its general officer.

- Bernama