KUALA LUMPUR: The defamation suit by controversial Muslim preacher Dr Zakir Naik against former Human Resources minister M. Kulasegaran is set to start in March next year.
The suit was over Kulasegaran's remarks that allegedly opened Dr Zakir to public ridicule and portraying the latter as a threat to national security.
Dr Zakir's lawyer Datuk Akberdin Abdul Kader said the High Court has fixed trial for three days from March 22 next year.
"The matter came up for case management today and the court fixed March 22, 23, and 24 for trial," he said.
The dates were fixed by judicial commissioner Quay Chew Soon during the proceedings which was conducted via e-Review.
Dr Zakir filed the suit on Nov 27, 2019, seeking compensation and damages from the Ipoh Barat Member of Parliament who was named as the sole defendant.
He is also seeking an injunction prohibiting the defendant from publishing and distributing defamatory news articles in any medium.
He claimed that the remarks made about him by the defendant were malicious, spurious and defamatory.