DAP's Bandar Kuching MP Chong Chieng Jen has been granted leave to appeal by the Federal Court on whether federal or state government can sue individuals for defamation.

He is appealing against a decision by the Court of Appeal, which had ruled that governments can indeed sue for defamation.

That landmark decision was based on Section 3 of the Government Proceedings Act, which states that governments have the right to sue as an ordinary citizen.