KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 20 — Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, P. Waytha Moorthy has sued Umno Supreme Council member, Datuk Lokman Adam over a defamatory speech involving the death of fireman Muhammad Adib Mohd Kassim at an assembly held at the federal capital on January 4.

The defamation suit was filed by Waytha Moorthy, 53, the Minister in charge of National Unity and Social Wellbeing as the plaintiff through Tetuan Azri, Lee Swee Seng & Co on April 26 by naming Lokman Noor, 46 as the defendant.

The media obtained a copy of the document after case management in the chambers of High Court Judge Datuk Seri Latifah Mohd Tahar today, which was also attended by counsel Annou Xavier who is representing the minister and lawyer N. Logendran who is acting for Lokman Noor.

Annou told reporters that the court has set November 1 for case management.

In his statement of claims, Waytha Moorthy who is also a senator alleged the defendant had spoken at a protest attended by about 100 participants and the speech was uploaded on the defendant’s Facebook page which received 55,500 views and shared 1,658 times as at April 18.

The plaintiff claimed the defamatory speech was uploaded in two videos via Youtube, KiniTV and Sinar TV with the heading "Several ministers tried to amend Adib’s post-mortem report,” alleged Lokman.

The plaintiff also claimed the defamatory speech was also produced in four articles among them had the heading "Lokman accuses ministers of trying to amend Adib’s post-mortem report” and "Waytha Moorthy among ministers who attempted to request a change in the post-mortem report on Adib” in several news portals including Malaysiakini and Minda Rakyat dated January 4 and 5.

He claimed the defamatory statement among others claimed he is a dishonest minister who attempted to manipulate the medical report relating to the death of Muhammad Adib and failed to carry out his duties as a minister responsible for national unity and social wellbeing apart from inciting riots at the Sri Mariamman Temple in USJ, Subang.

The minister also alleged the defamatory statement was not true and it had tarnished his reputation as a minister and senator.

He said a letter of demand had been issued on March 11 to demand the defendant tender an apology but the defendant failed to do so and as such the plaintiff among others is seeking general, aggravated and exemplary damages as well as an injunction to prevent the defendant or his agents from republishing the speech via print and electronic media.

Lokman Noor in his statement of defence filed on July 3, denied the speech at the assembly was defamatory to the minister and alleged the speech was fair comment and was based on facts in the interest of the people. — Bernama