KUALA LUMPUR (May 21): The defamation suit filed by DAP parliamentary leader Lim Kit Siang over a speech by the former Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Tun Mohammed Hanif Omar at a convention last September may possibly go into settlement.

Lawyer Rayveni Asogan, who acted for Lim, said both parties were working on terms and conditions of the settlement that are agreeable to both sides.

Should the settlement fail, the case will proceed with a trial, she said when met after the case was called for management before Judge Datuk Azimah Omar today.

She told reporters that the case is now fixed for further management on June 24, pending the outcome or update of the settlement.

Lim filed the suit against Mohammed Hanif, who is the sole defendant, last Oct 17, claiming that the former IGP had defamed him in a speech at the 'Karamah Bangsa' convention at Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) in Shah Alam on Sept 6 last year, which was published by a Malay daily Sinar Harian on the same day.

In the statement of claim, Lim, who is Iskandar Puteri Member of Parliament, stated that Muhammed Hanif had wrongfully and maliciously caused the alleged defamatory words to be published on the news portal Malaysiakini and Free Malaysia Today on the same day as well as on the next day.

Lim claimed that the alleged defamatory words, among others, were intended to mean that he was responsible and intended to order DAP to split Peninsular Malaysia into two parts with the intention of separating the Malay and Chinese community.

He also claimed that the alleged defamatory words had affected his reputation as a member of parliament and public figure.

Lim said a letter dated Sept 12, 2018, was sent to Mohammed Hanif seeking that he retract the alleged defamatory words and apologise.

However, Mohammed Hanif responded to the letter, denying that he made the alleged defamatory words against Lim.

Lim is seeking, among others, for Mohammed Hanif to apologise and withdraw the alleged defamatory statements, as well as an injunction for the former IGP to not repeat or publish the words again.

He is also seeking general, aggravated and exemplary damages.

Lawyer Janani Kumari appeared on behalf of the former IGP today.