This article first appeared in The Edge Financial Daily on May 29, 2019

KUALA LUMPUR: The High Court here has deferred delivering its decision on the defamation suit filed by Federal Territories Minister Khalid Abdul Samad against Malaysia Islamic Strategic Research Institute's chief executive officer Professor Datuk Mahamad Naser Disa over the RUU355 issue to July 17.

The RUU355 issue refers to the private member’s bill by PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang proposing to enhance Syariah Court punishments under the Syariah Courts (Criminal Jurisdiction) Act 1965.

Counsel Faiz Fadzil, who acted for Khalid, told The Edge Financial Daily that High Court Judicial Commissioner Rohani Ismail, in chambers yesterday, ordered Mahamad Naser's counsel to file further submission on the quantum by June 24, before the High Court ruling.

 Khalid filed the suit in December 2017 when he was still an ordinary Shah Alam member of parliament, claiming that Mahamad Naser had issued defamatory statements relating to the RUU355 issue.

He alleged that Mahamad Naser made the statement in a seminar organised by the Selangor Islamic Religious Department, at Masjid Tengku Ampuan Jemaah, Bukit Jelutong, in Shah Alam at 9.50am on Sept 28, 2017.

 Khalid is seeking general, aggravated and exemplary damages as well as an apology from Mahamad Naser.