[1] This is my judgment in respect of the plaintiff’s defamation suit against the second to fifth defendants. The action against the first defendant, a well known politician has been settled out of court. And the plaintiff claims against second and fifth defendants: (i) damages of up to RM25,000,000 for libel and slander; (ii) aggravated damages of up to RM10,000,000 for libel and slander; and (iii) exemplary damages of up to RM5,000,000 for libel and slander and against the third and fourth defendants: (i) damages of up to RM1,000,000 for libel and slander; (ii) aggravated damages of up to RM1,000,000 for libel and slander; and (iii) exemplary damages of up to RM1,000,000 for libel and slander.

[2] At the commencement of the hearing, parties have agreed that the case can be heard by way of: (i) witness statement for examination in chief; (ii) preliminary cross-examination witness statement, with full liberty to further cross-examine orally (for purposes of cross-examination); (iii) preliminary re-examination statement with full liberty to further re-examination if there is further oral examination. The court is extremely grateful to the parties for [*377] a