Judicial commissioner Gan Techiong will preside over the trial.

Lawyer Rafique Rashid Ali said Mahathir, 99, is likely to be the oldest litigant ever to testify in legal proceedings in this country.

“He will read his witness statement and subject himself to be cross-examined by Zahid’s lawyers,” he told FMT.

Rafique said another witness will also give evidence, if the need arises, before Mahathir closes his case.

Zahid, the Umno president, is expected to give evidence and be cross-examined tomorrow.

“We expect the defence to close its case on the same day as Zahid is its only witness,” he said.

Rafique said there does not appear to be any possibility of the suit being settled without a contest since the parties have not been able to agree on the terms.

The trial, initially scheduled for Feb 13, was postponed after Mahathir was admitted to the National Heart Institute (IJN) and certified unfit to attend the proceedings.

Gan directed that early trial dates be fixed due to Mahathir’s advanced age.

In his statement of claim, Mahathir alleged that Zahid defamed him through the derogatory use of the name “Kutty” at an Umno divisional meeting in Kelana Jaya on July 30, 2017.

He claims the statement was meant to imply that he was not born a Malay or Muslim, and that his original name was Mahathir, son of Iskandar Kutty.

In his defence, Zahid said that name referred to an individual based on information contained in a copy of an old identity card.