Anwar given 2 weeks to respond to Nallakarupan’s defence statement

(Bernama) — The High Court here has given Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim until June 20 to respond to Malaysian Indian Congress party president Senator Datuk S. Nallakarupan’s defence statement regarding the RM100 million defamation suit filed by him (Anwar) in March.

High Court Judicial Commissioner Vazeer Alam Mydin Meera set the date after Anwar’s counsel, Mohd Afiq Mohd Noor requested a period of two weeks to respond to the statement.

On March 26, Anwar had filed a suit against Nallakarupan, Utusan Melayu (Malaysia) Bhd and its Editor in Chief, Datuk Abdul Aziz Ishak based on defamatory words used by Nallakarupan against him which were published on the front page of the Utusan Malaysia newspaper on March 20, tarnishing his good name.

In his claim, Anwar said that the defamatory words included in the article published were false, had no basis, and published with ill intentions.

Anwar claimed he had sent a letter to the defendants through his counsel demanding that the words be removed but they failed to do so.

He is claiming general damages worth RM100 million, along with aggravated and exemplary damages, other costs and relief deemed appropriate by the court.