00:00In a surprise move, two defamation suits involving UMNO President Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and former Prime Minister Dr. Mahathir Mohamad before Judicial Commissioner Gan Techeong have been discontinued.
00:12This came after lawyers for both parties informed the judge that they had reached an amicable settlement and would not proceed with the suits, including one in which Zahid had cited Mahathir for contempt.
00:24The judge thanked both parties for not prolonging the matter.
00:28Mahathir, who turned 100 on July 10, filed his suit over Zahid's allegedly derogatory use of the name Kuti in reference to him.
00:38He claimed the statement was meant to imply that he was not born a Malay or a Muslim and that his original name was Mahathir's son of Iskandar Kuti.
00:48Zahid meanwhile filed his suit after Mahathir claimed that the UMNO President had sought his assistance to have corruption charges against him dropped.
