Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng has filed a writ of summons against state Umno Youth chief Shaik Hussein Mydin for accusing him of corruption in the Taman Manggis land deal.

In the summons filed in the High Court in Penang today, Lim says Shaik Hussein had "solely ( melulu ), wrongfully, irresponsibly and/or neglectfully and maliciously" verbally told Malaysiakini that Lim had received bribes from the Kuala Lumpur International Dental Centre (KLIDC).

KLIDC is the company that won the tender to develop a 1.1-acre plot of land in Taman Manggis, which the Penang Barisan Nasional was struggling to keep for public housing.

NONE Shaik Hussein ( right ), who is an engineer by profession, was quoted as maing the claim in an Oct 5 report headlined ' Penang BN: 30 days payment period is discriminatory '.

Malaysiakini published the report after a press conference held on the same day by the state BN Youth wing at the party's operations centre in Dato' Keramat.

Lim, the Bagan MP,  is also applying for an injunction to stop Shaik Hussein, as well as any of his agents or staff, from repeating the allegation.

He is also seeking general and aggravated damages for the alleged defamation, saying that Shaik Hussein's statement had lowered his professional and social status and position in the thoughts and opinion of the "reasonable" public.

"The statement was meant to say that I was involved in corruption, and that I was irresponsible and not qualified to hold positions such as chief minister, MP or assemblyperson," Lim states in his application.

"The statement had also seriously defamed me, put me in public contempt and hate, where I have suffered losses and damages.

"Shaik Hussein made those allegations with neglect and ill intent in a premeditated manner, especially since he is state Umno Youth chief and has a political agenda against me," Lim states.

'Unadulterated malice'

Lim claimed he had suffered aggravated damages as a result of "unadulterated malice' from Shaik Hussein, who had the intention to 'destroy his political career".

Lim was accompanied by the Selangor DAP chief Teresa Kok and state PKR vice-president Abdul Malik Kassim at the court complex, where Lim's press officer Wong Kin Fei said Shaik Hussein had met his boss and shook his hand, and was unwilling to let go.

NONE " Jangan-lah tarik, tak manis (Don't pull, it's not nice)," Lim had replied, and Shaik Hussein let go of his grip, said Wong.

Lim's lawyer Jagdeep Singh Deo ( left ) told the media after filling the summons that Lim had decided to initiate the legal action against Shaik Hussein after the latter replied to the Lim's notice of demand, two days ago.

Jagdeep said his firm had sent a notice of demand to Shaik Hussein to apologise and withdraw his comment but the latter failed to do so.

Refusing to do as demanded by Lim, Shaik Hussein instead invited the former for a public dialogue to clear his name of the graft allegation.

"In his reply, Shaik Hussein denied what was said in our letter and said he had the defence of justification," Jagdeep said.

Meanwhile, Shaik Hussein's lawyers at Messrs Aswar Simon & Azhar replied on Dec 12 that their client "denies each and every baseless allegations in the said letter.

"Additionally and/or alternatively, our client has defences of justification, fair comment and/or qualified privilege," the reply states.