Heliliah Yusof J:

In this action, the four plaintiffs are claiming against the defendants damages for libel in respect of certain words which are contained in an article entitled "Rearview Glimpse of 1995 Politics"which appeared on p. 2 of the issue of the Malay Mail for 1 January 1996. The article was a review prepared by the 1st defendant. The 2nd defendant is and was at all material times employed by the 3rd defendant as editor of the Malay Mail. The 3rd defendant is the publisher and printer of the Malay Mail. The plaintiffs at p. 34 of the pleading state:

On page 2 of the issue of The Malay Mail for 1st January 1996, the First Defendant wrote and published and the Second and Third Defendants published or caused to be published prominently the following words of and concerning the Plaintiffs and of and concerning them in the way of their profession and in relation to their conduct therein which are defamatory of the Plaintiffs:

It is to be stated at the outset that there is no contention that there has been a publication and it would appear that the defendants have chosen not to advance plea of justification. Hence the issues that are necessary for determination are fi