JUDGMENT

(Enclosure 1)

Hayatul Akmal Abdul Aziz J:

Introduction

[1] In a nutshell:

1.1 There are two suits involving similar parties with similar issues:

(a) Suit WA-23CY-53-10/2019, (Suit 53), and

(b) Suit WA-23CY-70-12/2019, (Suit 70).

(c) Both suits are by Dr Zakir Naik against Ramasamy. Both cases are grounded on alleged acts of defamation committed by the latter against the former on four (4) separate libellous and one (1) slanderous occasion.

1.2 Dr Zakir Abdul Karim Naik (Dr Zakir), the plaintiff, is a permanent resident of Malaysia.

1.3 The defendant, Ramasamy Palaniasamy (Ramasamy), was the Deputy Chief Minister II of Penang at the time of the alleged tortuous offences.

[2] In Suit 53, Dr Zakir claimed Ramasamy had maliciously libelled him on three (3) separate occasions (10 April 2016, 1 October 2017, 9 August 2019), while on 20 August 2019, maliciously slandered him in an online interview on India Today: