The Sessions Court in Butterworth today set July 8 for judgment in the case of an alleged defamatory remark made by former PAS deputy president Mohamad Sabu in August 2011 over the communist terrorist attack on the Bukit Kepong police station in 1950.  

Judge Meor Sulaiman Ahmad Tarmizi fixed the date after the case was set for mention today for handing over of written submissions.

Mohamad, who is better known as Mat Sabu, 60, attended court today but not his counsel Mohamed Hanipa Maidin.

Mat Sabu is charged with having defamed the policemen and their families who defended themselves in the communist attack on the Bukit Kepong police station in Muar on Feb 23, 1950.

He is charged with committing the act in a speech at the Pusat Asuhan Tadika Islam (Pasti) Al Fahmi, Markas Tarbiyah PAS Padang Menora, Tasek Gelugor in Butterworth on Aug 21, 2011.

He also faces an alternative charge of having defamed three policemen - marine constable Abu Bakar Daud and constables Jaafar Hassan and Yusoff Rono - and their families at the same time, date and place.

Mat Sabu was charged under Section 500 of the Penal Code which provides for a jail sentence of up to two years or a fine, or both, upon conviction.

- Bernama