KUALA LUMPUR: Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s libel suit against Sistem Televisyen Malaysia (TV3) for allegedly implying that he was a traitor will be heard in July.

High Court Judicial Commissioner Rohani Ismail has set four days from July 10 to hear the trial.

Speaking to reporters after the parties met in chambers, TV3 lawyer Lim Qi Si said the judicial commissioner had asked both parties to file witness statements by June 15 and fixed the same day for final case management.

In his suit filed on March 8, 2013, Anwar named Utusan Melayu (M) Bhd, its group editor-in-chief Datuk Abdul Aziz Ishak, TV3, its group managing editor Datuk Shahruddin Abdul Latif and its Buletin Utama editor Ing Boon Seng as defendants.

On Oct 5 last year, Anwar settled his libel suit against Utusan Melayu after the publisher expressed regret over the publication of a foreign news article allegedly linking the PKR leader to the intrusion by an armed Sulu group in Lahad Datu.

Under the terms of settlement, Utusan Melayu and Abdul Aziz have to pay RM50,000 to Anwar and publish a statement of regret.

In his court papers, Anwar, who sought RM100mil in damages from Utusan Melayu and TV3, said their statements implied that he was a threat to national security, a traitor and involved in terrorism.-thestar