Najib open to out-of-court settlement with Pua

KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak and MP Petaling Jaya Utara may explore the possibility of a settlement, in a defamation suit over video clip in relation to a Private Member's Bill to amend the Syariah's court.
Both parties may want to explore for a possibility of a settlement, in the course of looking for "facts to be agreed" and "facts not agreed".
Meanwhile, Najib's lawyer Datuk Hafarizam Harun said his client is open for a settlement.
"He is open (to settlement). It is simple- "I am sorry, Mr Prime Minister," said Hafarizam, when the media approached him after the case was brought up before high court judge Datuk Mohd Zaki Abdul Wahab, today.
Hafarizam said the judge had given direction that parties do an analysis of the pleadings; statement of claim, and statement of defence, to find "agreed facts" and "non-agreed facts."
"He did mention that, hopefully, when we do this, you will never know, parties may want to settle," he said.
"The judge asked me and lawyer Gobind Singh Deo to sit down, literally, and see if we can agree on the facts and also whether we should also agree on a settlement," said Hafarizam.
The next case management is on Oct 13, 2017.
Najib had filed a suit in his personal capacity against Pua for allegations made in a live video clip on the tabling of a Private Member's Bill to amend the Syariah Courts (Criminal Jurisdiction) Act 1965 or RUU355, on April 21, 2017.
In his statement of claim, Najib claimed that Pua made a statement at Parliament House on April 6, 2017, and was uploaded on Pua's official Facebook.
The video clip titled "BN Govt abandons all Bills to give precedence to PAS RUU355 Private Member's Bill."
Najib is seeking general, aggravated and exemplary damages.