The High Court in Penang has ordered News Straits Times Press (M) Bhd (NSTP) to pay Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng RM300,000 in damages for a "distorted and inaccurate" report published on Aug 20, 2015.

High Court judge Rosilah Yop also ordered NSTP to pay Lim RM35,000 in costs.

In her judgment, Justice Rosilah said the court was satisfied that the report, written by Berita Harian reporter Siti Sofea Md Nasir, was "distorted, inaccurate and defamatory".

She said the reporter was aware of the consent judgment between Lim and then Penang Umno Youth chief Shaik Hussein Mydin.

"Qualified privilege does not apply here as the court found the coverage extensive. This carries a certain weight and gravity, which gives the impression that Lim was related to the accusation (alleged corruption involving the Taman Manggis land sale)," she added.

Lawyer Simon Mureli acted for Lim while Leong Wai Hong represented NSTP, under which Berita Harian is a subsidiary.

On Aug 19, Shaik Hussein had apologised to Lim twice in chambers for accusing the CM of corruption related to the sale of Taman Manggis land.

But the Berita Harian report, headlined "Guan Eng tarik balik saman Shaik Hussein", claimed that Lim retracted his suit without conditions.

On Dec 18, Berita Harian published an errata on the matter but Lim said it did not comply with his request for amendments.

The amendments Lim wanted included Shaik Hussein retracting his statement that he was corrupt, that the Umno Bagan chief apologised to him and that apology was the basis for the CM to withdraw his case against the Umno leader.

Lim was also dissatisfied that Berita Harian did not publish in full the consent judgment of the case released on Aug 19.

The apology by Shaik Hussein was not recorded in the consent judgment as it was done in private, in front of High Court judge Justice Nordin Hassan.

Leong said he would seek instructions from his client before filing an appeal.