An application to strike out Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong's original claim of defamation against blogger Leong Sze Hian is going to be filed.

The lawyer representing Leong, Lim Tean, told Channel News Asia he would file the application by this week.

New developments

Lim of Carson Law Chambers informed the media about this development after lawyers on both sides met for the first pre-trial conference in High Court on Monday, Jan. 21.

The brief conference was to find out how far along both parties are in litigation, CNA reported.

Striking out each other's claims

Lim said PM Lee's lawyer, Davinder Singh of Drew and Napier, told the court that an application to strike out a counterclaim by Leong has been filed.

Leong had filed a counterclaim alleging that the Prime Minister's defamation suit against him was "an abuse of the process of the court".

After Leong filed the counterclaim, PM Lee's lawyers made an application to strike out the counterclaim "on the ground that it has no basis in law and is completely hopeless".

Lim told reporters on Monday that he informed the registrar at the pre-trial conference that he too intends to file an application to strike out the Prime Minister's original claim of defamation.

More pre-trial conference and hearing

Another pre-trial conference will take place on Jan. 31.

A judge will hear both sides' striking-out applications on Feb. 25.