KUALA LUMPUR: A lawyer’s suit against Malaysia Today editor Raja Petra Raja Kamarudin over alleged defamatory articles published against him in 2008, was set for futher case management on June 1.The High Court deputy registrar K Pavani fixed the date in chambers yesterday.

Counsel S Ravindran appeared for Datuk Seri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah, while counsel for Raja Petra was absent.

Muhammad Shafee, is suing Raja Petra for posting three articles on Aug 6, 7 and 11, 2008 entitled ‘Shafee Abdullah: Sodomologist Extraordinaire’, ‘Money, Power and Sex: What Motivates Man’ and ‘The Real Dalang Behind The Anwar Sodomy Allegation’ on the Malaysia Today website, which he said were defamatory of him.

On Aug 13, 2008, he obtained ex-parte injunctions ordering Raja Petra to remove the articles as well as all comments on the articles from the website, and reveal the identities of visitors to the website who had left comments and messages following the publication of the articles, among others.

Raja Petra, in his statement of defence filed on Nov 25, 2008, denied that the three articles which were published on Malaysia Today were false, malicious or defamatory to Muhammad Shafee.

Raja Petra, 60, left the country last year, and is believed to be hiding in London. — Bernama