GEORGE TOWN – Former Chief Minister of Penang, Lim Guan Eng and former Penang Barisan Nasional Chairman Teng Chang Yeow have settled a defamation suit amicably over an article on Pulau Jerejak in a consent judgement at the Penang High Court.
The suit was settled after Chang Yeow, as the defendant, read out his apology to Guan Eng, as the plaintiff before Judge Datuk Seri Tun Majid Tun Hamzah.
The apology was also witnessed by lawyer, Datuk N. Mureli who represented Guan Eng.
Guan Eng bersama peguamnya Mureli.
In his apology, Chang Yeow retracted the statements he made during a news conference on 15 November 2016, which were published on local newspapers the following day.
“I regret my baseless accusations and the hardship and difficulties caused to YB Lim Guan Eng due to the publication of the articles,” he said in an unconditional and unreserved apology to Guan Eng at the court.
Besides that, Chang Yeow also has to pay RM75,000 in legal costs to Guan Eng as agreed and recorded in the Court of Appeal on 12 November.
Guan Eng filed the defamation suit in April 2017, naming Chang Yeow, who is also the former Chairman of Penang Gerakan; News Editor of Star Media Group Berhad, David Tan and journalist Crystal Chiam Shiying as defendants.
In his claim, Guan Eng alleged that Chang Yeow has allowed and, or caused false statements to be written and published in the newspapers or websites.
He alleged that the news report, ‘Pulau Jerejak land sale questioned’ published on 16 November 2016 contained slanderous statements that implicated him in the issue.
Following that, on 29 June 2019, the Penang High Court revoked Guan Eng, who is also the Member of Parliament of Bagan’s suit as the former Finance Minister did not have the locus to sue anyone based on his official capacity.
However, on 12 November, the Court of Appeal set aside the court’s decision by ordering the case to be trialled at the Penang High Court. -MalaysiaGazette
