Blogger has to respond to Husam's suit by May 22

Blogger Syed Azidi Syed Abdul Aziz has until May 22 to respond to a defamation suit filed by Kelantan exco member Datuk Husam Musa for implying that he had abused his power.

High Court Judicial Commissioner Lee Heng Cheong ordered the blogger, known as Kickdefella, to file his statement of defence by May 22 after meeting the parties in chambers Monday.

Syed Azidi's counsel Anis Afiqah Che Rahim told reporters that the court also fixed Sept 5 to hear the suit.

On Feb 21 this year, Husam who is PAS vice-president, filed a RM10 million defamation suit against the blogger for publishing a defamatory statement in Sinar Harian's Kelantan edition dated July 25 last year.

In his statement of claim he said the statement was published with malicious intent and had injured his dignity, credibility and reputation.

Husam is seeking RM10 million in damages, an injunction to stop Syed Azizi from commenting or publishing similar defamatory statement against him and an apology to be published in Sinar Harian.