KUALA LUMPUR (March 16) : Kepong Member of Parliament Lim Lip Eng was ordered by the High Court on Thursday (March 16) to pay a sum of RM2 million for defaming company MonSpace (M) Sdn Bhd and director Datuk Seri Jessy Lai Chai Suang.
Judge Datuk Akhtar Tahir ordered Lim to pay RM1 million in damages to the company and another RM500,000 to Lai.
Besides this, the court also ordered Lim to pay RM500,000 in total of aggravated damages to the company and Lai. In addition, Akhtar ordered Lim to pay costs of RM250,000.
The decision was confirmed by MonSpace and Lai’s counsel Datuk Harpal Singh Grewal to The Edge, as the court did not allow several media organisations to cover the online proceedings.
The sum is one of the largest awarded for defamation.
Akhtar in his brief decision ruled that Lim did not deny making the purported defamatory statements and it was clear that it was directed at the company and Lai.
The judge also said that the statements clearly stated that the company and Lai had bribed government officials and carried out illegal activities.
Hence, the judge said Lim’s statement is considered to have tarnished the image of Lai and the company.
“The question is whether the statements made are justified? As an MP, he has a duty to inform the public and interests to do so.
“It is commendable that Lim has made reports to authorities; however, he should stop there and allow for investigations,” the judge said.
In this case, the judge said Lim should stop making unnecessary statements and allow the investigations on the purported bribery to carry on.
“He went beyond his duty and acted like a vigilante in making these accusations. He further proceeded to make unwarranted allegations and also to the authorities which he made a report to. He should verify the facts before making such accusations,” the judge said.
Lim, Akhtar said, failed to call witnesses to verify the source of his information.
“It is his duty to verify the information received and Lim as an MP, cannot be trigger happy and shoot from the hip,” he added.
The defendant, the judge said, took 19 investors to the road for demonstration and this was uncalled for.
Lim, Akhtar added, was also given the opportunity to make a clarification and asked to make an apology but refused.
“For these reasons, the plaintiffs have proven their claim for defamation and (is) entitled (to) not only (an) apology, (but) also damages,” the judge said.
Besides ordering the payment of damages, Akhtar also ordered Lim to publish an apology to be advertised in newspapers and various social media within seven days after this judgement had been perfected.
In 2019, MonSpace and Lai filed the defamation suit after Lim allegedly made multiple statements, including when he and several Chinese nationals visited the company headquarters in Bukit Jalil back in May 23, 2017.
According to the statement of claim, they alleged that Lim’s statement was as if they were running an illegal business and had cheated the Chinese investors and implied Lai to be a dishonest person.
Lai further claimed that the MP’s statements had pressured the authorities including the police, Bank Negara and the domestic trade and consumer affairs ministry, to take action against her.
Hence, she is claiming for general and aggravated damages for purported 15 defamatory remarks made by the politician through five publications between 2017 and 2018.
Lim, who was represented by Guok Ngek Seong, had indicated that they will appeal Thursday’s High Court decision.
In 2021, it was reported that the High Court had allowed the Malaysian Anti Corruption Commission to forfeit RM1.5 million from Lai under the Anti Money Laundering, Anti Terrorism Financing and Proceeds from Unlawful Activity 2001.