DAP man fails to stay defamation judgment in businessman's suit
PETALING JAYA : DAP's Michael Kong has failed in his bid to stay the enforcement of a defamation judgment given in favour of Sarawak businessman Richard Wee.
A three-member Court of Appeal panel sitting in Kuching today unanimously rejected Kong's application for a stay of execution and ordered him to pay RM10,000 in costs to Wee, who is also the president of the Sarawak Federation of Chinese Associations.
The judges on the bench were Justices Nazlan Ghazali, Choo Kah Sing and Ismail Brahim, Dayak Daily reported.
Wee had sued Kong, an aide to Sarawak DAP chief Chong Chieng Jen, over a Facebook post on July 21, 2020, in which he accused the businessman of obtaining advantages in his business through political connections.
In January 2024, the Kuching High Court ruled that Kong's statements were defamatory, malicious and unsubstantiated.
It awarded a total of RM200,000 in damages, RM50,000 in costs and a 5% interest on the damages from the date of the Facebook post's publication until the sum is fully paid.
Wee was represented by counsel Shankar Ram and Liu Wan Ping, while Chong Chieng Jen, Chong Siew Chiang and Sharon Lo acted for Kong.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Free Malaysia Today
an hour ago
- Free Malaysia Today
Misunderstanding sparks scuffle with cops for PSM leader outside Parliament
More than 100 plantation workers from Perak, Negeri Sembilan, Selangor, Kedah and Johor came to Parliament today to submit a draft bill for housing. KUALA LUMPUR : A peaceful march to demand housing for plantation workers turned briefly chaotic today when Parti Sosialis Malaysia deputy chairman S Arutchelvan got into a scuffle with police outside Parliament. Arutchelvan, who fell during the incident, was leading more than 100 workers from Perak, Negeri Sembilan, Selangor, Kedah and Johor to submit a draft bill making it compulsory for estates to provide homes for local workers. Police blocked the group from gathering at the Parliament gates but later allowed the workers to hand over the draft to deputy law and institutional reform minister M Kulasegaran and opposition chief whip Takiyuddin Hassan. Speaking to reporters later, Arutchelvan said the incident was due to a misunderstanding with the police. 'We already informed all MPs that we would be coming to the Parliament gates,' he said. 'But we saw the police trying to separate the plantation workers from Parliament and telling us not to gather near the gates. We were not going to enter the compound, but they wanted us to stand further away. There was actually no issue,' he said. Arutchelvan said the 200-page draft bill also traced the problem back to the time of former prime minister Abdul Razak Hussein, who introduced an estate workers housing scheme in 1973 but never enshrined it in law. He said many workers had served for up to 60 years but still had no homes due to their low wages. 'We are only asking for this for 20% of local plantation workers,' he said. 'Without a law, people do not follow. We are asking the government to make it a law (to build houses for local plantation workers).'
Free Malaysia Today
an hour ago
- Free Malaysia Today
Year 2 pupil suffers facial fractures in alleged assault by schoolmates
Kuala Terengganu police chief Azli Noor said a preliminary investigation indicated that the incident stemmed from teasing among the pupils. (Bernama pic) PETALING JAYA : A Year 2 pupil at a primary school in Kuala Terengganu sustained a fractured orbital bone and broken nose after allegedly being assaulted by a group of schoolmates on July 30. The incident came to light when the boy returned home at about 4pm with blood and bruises on his face. According to his mother, he was attacked by several pupils who held his arms and punched him in the face until he fell. 'I brought him to a private clinic, where X-rays confirmed the injuries. He was then referred to Sultanah Nur Zahirah Hospital in Kuala Terengganu,' Bernama reported her as saying today. The boy, the second of three siblings, underwent surgery this morning to repair the nasal fracture. His mother said this was not the first time that he had been bullied. In June, he suffered an eye injury after being hit with a rock, but no police report was lodged at the time. However, following the latest incident, she said she had decided to take legal action. The mother also said the school met with the parents of the pupils involved on Monday to discuss the matter. Kuala Terengganu police chief Azli Noor confirmed receiving a report, and said a preliminary investigation suggested that the incident stemmed from teasing among the pupils. 'The case has been referred to the school management and the Kuala Terengganu education office for further action,' he said.
Free Malaysia Today
2 hours ago
- Free Malaysia Today
Number of Malaysians with at least RM1.2mil to double over 10 years, says HSBC
HSBC Bank said affluent Malaysians are increasingly seeking investment solutions that not only accelerate wealth accumulation but also safeguard their health and lifestyle. (Reuters pic) PETALING JAYA : HSBC Bank expects the number of Malaysians with at least US$250,000 (RM1.18 million) in assets to double over the next 10 years. HSBC's head of international wealth and premier banking Asia, Kai Zhang, said Malaysia's growing economy is creating more opportunities to build and sustain wealth. 'We estimate that the percentage of adults in Malaysia with at least US$250,000 in financial wealth will double over the next decade,' she said in a statement to mark the launch of HSBC Bank Malaysia Bhd's revamped HSBC Premier for its affluent and high-net-worth customers today. Linda Yip, HSBC Malaysia's country head of international wealth and premier banking, said affluent Malaysians are increasingly seeking investment solutions that not only accelerate wealth accumulation but also safeguard their health and lifestyle. In 2023, a report from property consultancy Knight Frank stated that the number of Malaysians with at least US$1 million (RM4.6 million) in wealth will nearly double from over 85,000 in 2022 to more than 164,000 in 2027.
