Court proposes Mujahid's suit against Harakah to be settled via mediation

Mujahid's lawyer, Noorazmir Zakaria told Bernama this at the completion of virtual proceedings before Judge Zulqarnain Hassan.

"Today was set for hearing, but before proceedings began, Justice Zulqarnain proposed for the case to be settled amicably, and so the counsels will discuss this with our respective clients," he said, while also informing that case management on the matter has been set for Sept 7.

The former de facto religious affairs minister filed the suit on Aug 12 last year, naming Harakah reporter Aziz Muda; its editor-in-chief Wan Nordin Wan Yaacob; its online portal harakahdaily.net operator Galeri Media Serbanika Sdn Bhd and the newspaper's printer, Percetakan Turbo (M) Sdn Bhd, as the defendants.

In his statement of claim, Mujahid claimed that, on Feb 7, Aziz, Wan Nordin and Galeri Media had written and published defamatory words against him on harakahdaily.net via an article titled "Sajat: Mujahid dan K'jaan PH patut dipersalahkan" and another one titled "Keterlanjuran Sajat kesilapan Mujahid dan kerajaan PH" published on Harakah newspaper dated Feb 10-13.

The Parit Buntar MP said the defamatory words implied that he was an irresponsible man for allowing the public, especially Muslims, to engage in Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transexual (LGBT) activities and that he was the main reason for Sajat to wear telekung (Muslim women's prayer garb) and behave like a woman while performing umrah.

Mujahid claimed that the defamatory words had tarnished his dignity, credibility and reputation as the minister in charge of religious affairs at the material time.

In their statement of defence filed on Sept 28, last year, the defendants said Mujahid should be man enough to be responsible for the statement he made and should not be offended by the criticisms hurled at him, especially by media practitioners, over the issue.