Bintulu MP Tiong King Sing today withdrew his defamation suit against former MCA president Ong Tee Keat, which was filed eight years ago.

The withdrawal of the suit was made at the High Court in Kuala Lumpur before Justice Lau Bee Lan was scheduled to deliver her decision after a full trial.

According to Ong's lawyer Chan Tse Yuen, the suit was struck out without liberty to file afresh.

Justice Lau also ordered Tiong to pay costs of RM40,000 to Ong, a former transport minister.

Chan, with fellow lawyer Tan Foong Luen and Tiong's lawyer Prem Ramachandran, had earlier met Justice Lau in her chambers.

Chan said while they had filed written submissions on the case, the other side has yet to do so.

“Three of the plaintiff's witnesses have already testified and Ong also gave his testimony as the sole defendant,” he said.

This suit was over an article published in the New Sunday Times of Sept 6, 2009, titled "Chua and Tiong in cahoots". "Chua" in the heading referred to former MCA president Dr Chua Soi Lek.

Tiong originally filed the civil suit on Oct 12, 2009, naming New Straits Times Press Bhd (NSTP), its then group editor Syed Nadzri Syed Harun, former journalist Joseph Sipalan and Ong as defendants but the Bintulu MP later dropped his claim against NSTP, Syed Nadzri and Sipalan.

Sipalan is now with Reuters.

Chan told reporters that the withdrawal follows Sipalan's testimony in court that he did not interview Ong for his article.

Ong feels vindicated

Ong said he was shocked over the withdrawal of the suit at the 11th hour.

This is the second time he felt vindicated, he added. In the Kuala Lumpur High Court before another judge, Tiong's other suit for RM10 million against Ong was dismissed.

“Some of the press reported that the suit was settled out of court, but in fact, it was dismissed,” he clarified.

“So this is the second vindication after eight years after a long legal tussle. I was shocked with today's sudden withdrawal as during my testimony, I also denied being interviewed by Sipalan.”

Tiong had then claimed RM10 million in ‘damages' from Ong, while Ong filed a counter-claim of RM500 million.

On Aug 24, 2009, Ong filed another RM500 million defamation suit against Tiong in relation to the claim.

It was reported on Oct 7, 2013, that Judicial Commissioner SM Komathy Suppiah had dismissed Tiong's claim by consent.

However, the present case was known for a challenge on Sipalan to reveal the source of his information in court, where Justice Lau had on July 31, 2013, dismissed Tiong’s application and ruled that there was no need for Sipalan to disclose his sources.

She had said that it would be more in the public interest for the court not to order Sipalan to reveal his sources.

Tiong appealed to the Court of Appeal and later at the Federal Court but both the superior courts said as the decision was made in the course of the trial, it ordered that the trial proceed first.