KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 20 — The decision on the defamation suit filed by the Sultanah of Terengganu Sultanah Nur Zahirah against Sarawak Report editor Clare Rewcastle-Brown and two others over alleged defamatory statements in the book, The Sarawak Report — The Inside Story of the 1MDB Expose will be known on October 31.

Judicial Commissioner (JC) John Lee Kien How @ Mohd Johan Lee set the date after hearing the submissions of lawyer Vishnu Kumar who represented Sultanah Nur Zahirah as the plaintiff, while lawyer Americk Sidhu who appeared for Rewcastle-Brown, publisher Chong Ton Sing of Gerakbudaya Enterprise and printer Vinlin Press Sdn Bhd as defendants.

"The decision on the suit is set for October 31, at 4pm,” said JC Lee at today’s proceedings which were held online.

A total of five witnesses consisting of three plaintiff witnesses including Sultanah Nur Zahirah and two defendants finished testifying at the trial which started on August 1.

On March 28, the High Court here dismissed Rewcastle-Brown’s bid to stay the hearing of the suit.

Sultanah Nur Zahirah filed the suit on November 21, 2018, claiming that the said statement, among others, meant that she was involved in corruption and interfering in the administration of the Terengganu government, besides using her status to influence the establishment of the Terengganu Investment Authority (TIA), later known as 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB).

Sultanah Nur Zahirah contended that the statement meant that she had helped fugitive businessman Jho Low or Low Taek Jho to become a TIA adviser.

The Sultanah is claiming general damages of RM100 million from each defendant and is also seeking an order for the publisher to withdraw the book containing the defamatory statement and for the printer to stop printing the book.

In their defence statements, the three defendants denied making allegations that the plaintiff was involved in corrupt practices.

Rewcastle-Brown also claimed that Sarawak Report had never suggested that the plaintiff was involved in a conspiracy involving Jho Low and had also never suggested that the plaintiff was involved in the government’s administration related to 1MDB affairs. — Bernama