KUALA LUMPUR: The High Court set two days from Aug 15 to hear Urban Wellbeing, Housing and Local Government Minister Datuk Abdul Rahman Dahlan's defamation suit against Malaysiakini (Mkini) and its reporter.
Online news portal Mkini's counsel K. Shanmuga confirmed that judge Datuk Abu Bakar Jais fixed the hearing dates during case management in his chambers this morning.
Shanmuga, who also acted for Mkini's reporter Geraldine Tong, said the matter would come up for further case management on May 23.
Counsel Shahriman Ruslan appeared for Rahman.
Rahman is suing Mkini and Tong over an online article on his statement given during a World Town Planning Day press conference on Nov 3 last year.
The online news portal's article and video - both titled "Minister's 'go back to kampung' notion draws contempt" - was uploaded on Nov 6, last year.
Rahman claimed Mkini overly edited his statement to the extent of distorting its original meaning and causing misunderstanding by online readers.
Rahman, who is also Kota Belud member of parliament, claimed that the article and video portrayed him as a minister and politician who did not care for the suffering of Malaysians.
He also alleged the article and video were uploaded maliciously and without getting prior clarification from him over his statements.
Mkini and Tong are relying on the defence of fair comment and qualified privilege against the lawsuit.