KUALA LUMPUR: The High Court fixed Feb 22 to hear the application by Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to strike out a paragraph in Utusan Melayu (M) Bhd's defence in his suit against the newspaper publisher and two others over allegation of judicial bribery.
Counsel Sangeet Kaur Deo said Anwar had sought to remove one part of Utusan's defence that relied on his past sodomy case due to its inclusion purportedly not permitted by law.
She said her client had also made a discovery application for a disclosure of Sistem Televisyen Malaysia Bhd (TV3)'s recording and transcript of a press conference by former Barisan Nasional Permatang Pauh election candidate Dr Mazlan Ismail which contained allegedly defamatory words.
"We filed the application for a disclosure of the recording and transcript from TV3 on Jan 13 and they have agreed to hand it over to us in two weeks time," she said after the matter was heard in chambers before judge Datuk John Louis O'hara.
On Oct 15, 2015, the former opposition leader filed the suit naming Mazlan, television broadcaster TV3 and Utusan Melayu as defendants.
He claimed that Mazlan had in a press conference which was broadcast on TV3's news programme "Buletin Utama" on Oct 2, 2015 made allegations that he had bribed judges and prosecutors.
He also alleged that the defamatory words were then published by Utusan Malaysia the next day.
Counsel Elly Azreen Khalid appeared for Utusan.