KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 1 — The High Court here today fixed October 31 to hear the application filed by former Felda chairman Tan Sri Shahrir Abdul Samad to strike out the defamation suit by a property developer Synergy Promenade Sdn Bhd against him over Felda land issue.

Shahrir’s counsel Farah Shuhadah Razali said High Court deputy registrar Catherine Nicholas fixed the date in chambers when the case came up for management.

She said the striking-out application was filed on the grounds that the plaintiff (Synergy) did not follow procedure and did not have any basis to seek compensation of RM100 million from the defendant (Shahrir).

"The court fixed the same date to hear the plaintiff’s application to strike out the defence filed by the defendant,” she said, adding that it would be heard before Judge Darryl Goon Siew Chye.

On June 4, the company filed a suit against Shahrir, who was then Felda chairman, for allegedly making several defamatory statements between December 2017 and March 2018 which were published by the mass media and reposted on Facebook, YouTube and various news portals.

According to the statement of claims, the plaintiff alleged that the statements tarnished its reputation and caused it to lose several projects it was working on.

The company is seeking an injunction order to prevent the defendant from republishing the statements as well as compensation of RM100 million, benefits, costs and other suitable relief. — Bernama