Court suggests mediation settlement for Anwar's suit against Syed Hamid

The High Court here today suggested that the RM100 million defamation suit filed by Opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim against former Home Minister Tan Sri Syed Hamid Albar over a newspaper article, be settled through mediation. Judge Datuk Nik Hasmat Nik Mohamad made the suggestion in his chambers after meeting lawyer S.N. Nair, who is acting for Anwar, and senior federal counsel Tengku Intan Suraya Tengku Ismail who represented Syed Hamid. Nair told reporters afterwards that both sides would discuss the matter. The court set Oct 28 to 30 for the hearing if mediation efforts failed. The court was scheduled to hear the case today. Anwar who was to be the fifth witness was present in court. Nair said the court also ordered the Attorney-General's Chambers to pay cost of RM1,000 to Anwar, who is also Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) de facto head, for causing today's hearing to be postponed as the plaintiff was ready to proceed with the case. Anwar had filed the suit on Aug 29, 2008 and named Syed Hamid as the first defendant and the Government of Malaysia as the second defendant. In his suit, Anwar claimed that Syed Hamid had uttered words that were defamatory of him at a press conference at Parliament's lobby on July 2, 2008, which were subsequently published in The Star newspaper the following day. Anwar said the newspaper article carried based on Syed Hamid's remarks implied that he was a traitor, disloyal to his religion and race and a person who could not be trusted. Besides RM100 million in damages, Anwar is also seeking exemplary damages, costs and other relief deemed fit by the court.