KUALA LUMPUR, July 13 — Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi’s application for an injunction order to prevent Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin from issuing any statement on the allegation that the former deputy prime minister had sought help to solve or postpone the trial of his criminal cases, will be heard on August 8.

Ahmad Zahid’s lawyer, Baharudeen Mohamed Ariff, when contacted said the hearing of the application, which was initially set for today, was rescheduled as Muhyiddin had filed an additional affidavit on July 6 and the court had ordered Ahmad Zahid to file his affidavit in reply before or by July 22.

“The hearing of the application hence set on August 8 before High Court Judge Datuk Rozana Ali Yusoff through online proceedings,” he said.

In the suit filed last April 4, the Bagan Datuk MP is seeking an ex-parte injunction for Muhyiddin or his representative to withdraw the defamatory statements or similar defamatory statements against him.

He is also seeking an interim injunction for the defendant to delete, edit and stop the publication of part of the video footage which contained the defamatory statement in online news portals and social media, including on Perikatan Nasional’s Facebook page, Astro AWANI’s YouTube channel and KiniTV.

According to the statement of claim, Ahmad Zahid, 69, claimed that on February 16, during the 15th Johor state election campaign trail in Mersing, at the compound of the Learning Centre Sentuhan Kasih Felda Tenggaroh 3, Muhyiddin had made a defamatory statement with ill intention and malice against him and on the same day, he said, the video footage of the defamatory statement was published on Astro AWANI’s YouTube channel, which is managed by Astro AWANI.

Ahmad Zahid claimed that Muhyiddin’s statement implied that he had used a shortcut to settle and postpone his ongoing court cases; that he had asked for Muhyiddin’s help to intervene in the court cases and the judiciary system, to order the dissolution of the Johor State Assembly and also implied that he was not a respectable and exemplary leader.

Ahmad Zahid claimed that the allegations were false and aimed at tarnishing his good name and reputation.

He is seeking general, aggravated and exemplary damages, as well as an order for Muhyiddin to publish a public apology in newspapers, and other reliefs and costs deemed fit by the court. — Bernama