The High Court today set two days from Sept 24 to hear a defamation suit filed by former International Islamic University law lecturer Dr Abdul Aziz Bari against Kulim-Bandar Baru Member of Parliament Zulkifli Noordin and Utusan Melayu (Malaysia) Berhad.    

Judge Zabariah Mohd Yusuf set the date after meeting the parties in chambers when the case came up for case management.  

Counsel Rohanidah Shafee, representing Utusan Melayu, told reporters the judge ordered the parties to file documents related to the trial by April 13.  

Abdul Aziz filed the suit on Dec 22 last year, naming Zulkifli, who is also a lawyer; Abdul Aziz Ishak, group editor-in-chief of Utusan Malaysia and also Mingguan Malaysia ; and Utusan Melayu as defendants.

He alleged that on Oct 17, 2011, Zulkifli had uttered defamatory words against him, which were published a day later in an article in the Utusan Malaysia newspaper.

Abdul Aziz claimed that the words referred to him directly because his name and designation were specifically mentioned in the article.  

He said the natural and ordinary meaning of the words meant that he was, among others, a rude and uncouth individual and a law professor who was not fit to be a law lecturer.  

He is seeking general, exemplary and aggravated damages, costs, and an apology and a retraction of the statements by the defendants.

- Bernama