Naik’s defamation suit against lawyer to be heard in Penang

Naik’s defamation suit against lawyer to be heard in Penang

The preacher is suing former assemblyman Raveentharan Subramaniam over five alleged defamatory Facebook postings in 2019.

Preacher Zakir Naik failed to obtain leave from the Federal Court to have his defamation suit against lawyer Raveentharan Subramaniam heard in the Kuala Lumpur High Court.
GEORGE TOWN:
Islamic preacher Zakir Naik’s defamation suit against a lawyer will be heard in Penang, following his failure to obtain leave at the Federal Court today.

In an online hearing today, Federal Court judge Vernon Ong dismissed Naik’s leave application and ordered him to pay RM30,000 in costs.

Naik had filed a defamation suit against lawyer Raveentharan Subramaniam at the Kuala Lumpur High Court over five alleged defamatory Facebook postings in 2019.

Raveentharan, a former Penang assemblyman, then successfully applied for the case to be transferred to the High Court in Penang.

Raveentharan Subramaniam.

Naik challenged the transfer at the Court of Appeal. After the court set aside his challenge, he sought leave to appeal the decision at the Federal Court.

Naik was represented by Sulaiman Abdullah, Rafie Shafie and Akberdin Abdul Kader.

Lawyers Tharumarajah Thiagarajan, P Kernail Singh and Asmeeta Rajendran appeared for Raveentharan.

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