KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 2 — The High Court today set two days beginning March 26, next year, to hear the property developer Synergy Promenade Sdn Bhd’s RM100 million defamation suit against former Federal Land Development Authority (Felda) chairman Tan Sri Shahrir Abdul Samad in connection with Felda land.

Lawyer Leonard D’Cruz, representing the Synergy Promenade, told reporters that March 26 and 27, next year, were set for the trial of the case following the case management before High Court Judge Datuk Mohd Sofian Abdul Razak in his chambers today.

"The court also set Oct 16 for further case management,” D’Cruz said.

On June 4 last year, Synergy Promenade, as the plaintiff, filed a suit against Shahrir, who was then Felda chairman, as the defendant, for allegedly issuing several defamatory statements between December 2017 and March 2018, which were published on Facebook, YouTube and news portals.

According to the statement of claim, the plaintiff claimed that Shahrir’s statements had tarnished the company’s reputation and resulted in the plaintiff losing the projects that it was already 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