Judge proposes out of court settlement in Nurul Izzah's defamation case

KUALA LUMPUR: The High Court today proposed that the defamation suit brought by Lembah Pantai MP Nurul Izzah Anwar (pix) against Utusan Melayu (Malaysia) Berhad and its group editor-in-chief Datuk Aziz Ishak be settled out of court.
Justice Datuk Hue Siew Kheng made the proposal in chambers during case management today, in the presence of Datuk Mohd Hafarizam Harun, counsel for Aziz and Utusan, and Mohamed Hanipa Maidin, counsel for Nurul Izzah.
Mohd Hafarizam, when approached by reporters, said the court asked both sides to arrive at a settlement to resolve the case.
He said the court also set Aug 14 to be informed of developments in the case. It had been proposed earlier that the case be resolved through mediation, but on July 3 the two sides failed to reach a settlement through the process before High Court Judge Hasnah Mohamed Hashim.
Nurul Izzah had filed the suit on Nov 23, 2012, alleging that Aziz and Utusan, as the first and second defendants, had twisted her statement at a forum on religious freedom of the Malays.
In her statement of claim, the Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) vice-president claimed that four articles published by the newspaper on Nov 6 and 7, 2012, contained words defamatory to her.
Nurul Izzah sought a court order to have the two defendants make an apology and withdraw the alleged defamation against her, to be made within 24 hours from the date of the court order. She also sought general, exemplary and aggravated damages and costs deemed fit by the court. – Bernama