The Federal Court has postponed the hearing of an appeal by the defunct Utusan Melayu (M) Bhd and its former journalist in a defamation lawsuit filed against them by veteran lawyer Manjeet Singh Dhillon.

Lawyer Muhammad Shafee Abdullah sought an adjournment of the appeal hearing before a five-member bench led by Chief Justice Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat.

He said this was in view that Utusan Melayu has been placed under creditors' voluntary liquidation with an interim liquidator being appointed.

Muhammad Shafee told the court that he was not asked to represent Utusan Melayu in the appeal today, but he was asked to appear for the company today to seek for a short adjournment of the appeal.

Lawyer Americk Singh Sidhu, representing Manjeet Singh, objected to the postponement saying that Muhammad Shafee has the authority to act for Utusan Melayu.

Justice Tengku Maimun allowed the postponement and fixed Nov 12 for case management.

Presiding with her were Federal Court judges Idrus Harun, Nallini Pathmanathan, Vernon Ong Lam Kiat and Abdul Rahman Sebli.

On Sept 26, 2011, Manjeet Singh filed an RM2.5 million defamation lawsuit against former Padang Serai member of parliament N Gobalakrishnan, former journalist Raja Syahrir Abu Bakar, Utusan Melayu and Sistem Televisyen Malaysia Bhd (TV3) in relation to Gobalakrishan's interview with the media on Aug 16, 2011.

In his statement of claim, he said that Gobalakrisnan had made derogatory remarks against him.

On Sept 11, 2015, Manjeet Singh won his suit against Gobalakrishnan, Raja Syahrir and Utusan Melayu at the Kuala Lumpur High Court but his suit against TV3 was dismissed.

Then High Court judge Justice Nor Bee Arifin (now Court of Appeal judge) ordered Utusan Melayu and Raja Syahrir to pay RM200,000 in damages and Gobalakrishnan RM150,000 in damages for defaming Manjeet.

However, she found no case against TV3.

On March 13, last year, the Court of Appeal reversed the High Court's decision and ordered TV3 to pay RM200,000 in damages to Manjeet Singh. TV3 did not appeal against this decision.

The appellate court, however, dismissed the appeals by Gobalakrishnan, Utusan Melayu and Raja Syahrir and affirmed the High Court order.

Gobalakrishnan has filed a leave to appeal to the Federal Court.

On July 24, last year, Utusan Melayu and Raja Syahrir obtained leave to appeal to the Federal Court.

Americk Singh told reporters that the appeal has been postponed three times.

- Bernama