Court of Appeal grants Marina Mahathir stay in suit against Isma
Jennifer Gomez, The Malaysian Insider
The Court of Appeal today granted a stay on the trial for the libel suit by activist Datin Paduka Marina Mahathir against the president and office holders of Muslim NGO Ikatan Muslim Malaysia (Isma).
Marina’s lawyer Rosli Dahlan (pic) told The Malaysian Insider that they had gone to the appellate court to appeal against High Court judge Rosilah Yop’s decision not to grant an application for Isma to testify first in the suit, despite Marina being the plaintiff.
“Our application is based on the basic point of law that if you alleged me of something, for instance calling me a prostitute, you have to explain why you called me that, which is why we wanted the defendant to testify first,” he explained.
He added that they have also filed an appeal against Rosilah’s decision at the Court of Appeal which has been fixed for case management on June 24.
In the suit filed in January, Marina named Isma’s 13 office bearers and three committee members for implying that she had been involved in human rights coalition Comango.
She claimed in her suit that Isma had falsely caused the publication of defamatory statements against her in an article and pamphlets.
However, the plaintiff had wanted Isma to testify first in the suit fixed for hearing today, which was rejected by Rosilah.
