SHAH ALAM: The High Court has proposed that former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad's defamation suit against Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim be referred to mediation for resolution.
The suggestion was made by judicial commissioner Zaharah Hussain during case management today, according to Dr Mahathir's lawyer Rafique Rashid Ali.
"Both legal teams told the court they would seek their clients' instructions on the proposed mediation," Rafique told Free Malaysia Today (FMT).
The court has scheduled further case management for Jan 6 next year. Zaharah also directed both parties to submit their trial documents before the next case management date.
Anwar was represented by lawyer Phoebe Loi.
On Oct 2, 2023, Dr Mahathir failed to compel Anwar to provide documents linked to the lawsuit, which seeks RM100 million in exemplary damages, RM50 million in general damages, a written apology, and a press conference to apologise for alleged impugned statements made during PKR's special national congress in March of the same year.
During the congress, Anwar had referred to someone "who in the past had been in power for 22 years and an additional 22 months" as taking advantage of his position to enrich himself and his family.
Anwar, who did not specify any name during his speech at the party's special congress, also said this person had complained about the Malays losing everything when he was no longer in power.
Dr Mahathir said he had never been accused or convicted of any wrongdoing involving power abuse or misuse of funds either during or after serving as prime minister.
He claimed Anwar made the impugned statements that were unfounded and only based on hearsay from the media.