Yusoff’s lawyer, Rafique Rashid Ali, told reporters at the court complex that Justice Raja Ahmad Mohzanuddin Shah Raja Mohzan fixed the date during case management today.

He said his client had filed an affidavit to oppose Anwar’s application.

Anwar wants several issues concerning Yusoff’s movement and presence at his private residence on the day of the alleged incident determined first, either through affidavit evidence or private proceedings without the presence of the media.

He contends that determining these issues could potentially dispose of the entire suit without a full trial.

Yusoff, however, wants the matters ventilated at a trial. In his affidavit, he described the application as a deliberate attempt to delay the trial, initially fixed for June last year.

“I have not been able to present my case, where the events giving rise to this action occurred on Oct 2, 2018, with seven years and seven months having passed,” he said.

Yusoff also repeated his earlier contention that Anwar’s pre-trial applications and changes of solicitors had repeatedly delayed the hearing of the suit.

Yusoff, a grandson of the late Penang consumer advocate SM Mohamed Idris, is seeking general, special, aggravated and exemplary damages, together with interest and costs, alleging he was assaulted by Anwar at his residence almost eight years ago.

Anwar denies the claim and has filed a countersuit.

Anwar is represented by Christopher Leong and Sanjay Mohanasundram.