The High Court in Kuala Lumpur today allowed an application by former Teratai assemblyperson Jenice Lee Ying Ha to amend her statement of claim in a defamation suit against acting DAP chairperson Tan Kok Wai over statements alleging her of power abuse and misappropriation.

Judicial Commissioner Vazeer Alam Mydin Meera made the decision in chambers after meeting lawyers Michael Wong and Eric Tan, representing Lee and Tan, respectively.

Wong told reporters that the court also set July 4 for case management and Sept 30 for hearing.

In the suit filed Nov 12 last year, Lee claimed that on April 23, 2013, which was the third day of campaigning for the 13th general election, Tan had held a press conference at the Taman Muda market situated in the Teratai state assembly constituency and issued defamatory statements against her, including accusing her of corruption, power abuse and misappropriation.

She said the statements were then published in the Chinese and English, as well as posted on the Internet.

Lee claimed the statements had damaged her position, credibility, integrity and reputation as a person and in politics.

She is seeking general, aggravated and exemplary damages and an injunction to stop Tan from repeating the alleged defamatory statements.

- Bernama