KUALA LUMPUR: The defamation suit filed by former Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department P. Waytha Moorthy against Datuk Ibrahim Ali will proceed, as both parties failed to settle the case through a mediation process at the High Court today.
The suit was related to the Parti Bumiputera Perkasa Malaysia (Putra) president’s speech at the party’s annual general meeting, three years ago.
Lawyer Muhammad Afiq Qiwamuddin Mustapha Shakri, representing Ibrahim, said no settlement was reached by both parties through the mediation process and the suit would proceed with the trial which has has been fixed fom Sept 20 to 23, before Judicial Commissioner Datuk Seri Latifah Mohd Tahar.
“The defence will be calling four witnesses, including my client (Ibrahim) to testify, while only Waytha Moorthy as the plaintiff, will testify.
“But it is subject to any addition of witnesses depending on the necessity,” he said, adding that the mediation process was conducted via Zoom before deputy registrar (Mediation Division) Ahmad Solihin Abd Wahid.
On March 14, 2019, Waytha Moorthy, 54, filed the suit after claiming that Ibrahim, 70, who was named as the defendant, had slandered him while making a speech at the meeting organised on Dec 2, 2018.
In the statement of claim, the plaintiff alleged that on the same day of the defendant’s speech, an article was published by Malay Mail Online entitled ‘At Perkasa AGM, enraged Ibrahim Ali calls Waytha Moorthy a pig’ had gone viral on social media platforms, including Facebook, Whatsapp and Twitter.
Waytha Moorthy claimed that the defendant had said those slanderous words to insult, demean, humiliate and expose him to hatred, contempt and ridicule in public, with the intention of applying pressure on the government to remove him from the Cabinet.
He alleged that due to the defendant issuing the statement, the plaintiff suffered a loss in trust and reputation as a national leader, as well as a National Unity and Social Wellbeing Minister, and that his personal authority and reputation were affected. — Bernama
