Lawyer Felix Lim, who represents Lim, said the date was fixed during case management before deputy register Norkamilah Aziz today.

On May 19, Justice Azizah Nawawi, who chaired a three-member panel hearing the appeal, said the judges needed time to deliberate before handing down their decision following submissions by both parties.

Azizah, who was joined on the panel by Justices Mariana Yahya and Azimah Omar, heard submissions from Azeez’s lawyer, Porres Royan, and Lim’s counsel, N Mureli.

Azeez is appealing against a Penang High Court ruling handed down on Dec 11, 2020, which dismissed his suit against the former Penang chief minister over comments made regarding the Penang undersea tunnel project.

Azeez filed the suit in March 2018 claiming that Lim had issued defamatory statements during a press conference at the Penang chief minister’s office on Feb 28, 2018, and during a Chinese New Year open house hosted by the Penang Development Corporation on the same day, linking Azeez to a payment of RM3 million as consultation fees from the developer of the undersea tunnel project.

Azeez is seeking general and exemplary damages and other relief deemed fit by the court.