Sarawak second finance minister Wong Soon Koh is leaving it to his panel of lawyers to handle the defamation suit filed against him by Pujut assemblyperson Dr Ting Tiong Choon.

Met by reporters after holding a press conference on state-level Malaysia Day celebrations in Sibu today, Wong said a statement alleging that Dr Ting was a bankrupt did not come from him.

“I never said it was from me. I quoted from my findings with the insolvency office of the Australian Financial Security Authority (AFSA),” he said, declining to comment further as the matter had been brought to court.

Ting, 52, of DAP filed the defamation suit against Wong and local publication, The Borneo Post at the Kuching High Court in Petra Jaya, Kuching yesterday.

At a press conference in Kuching yesterday, Padungan assemblyperson Wong King Wei said the statement had embarrassed the assemblyperson.

He said Ting was seeking general damages including aggravated damages, interests, costs and other relief deemed fit by the court.

Ting is also seeking an injunction to prevent Wong and his servants or agents as well as The Borneo Post by itself, its directors, agents or servants, from further publishing the said words or any similar words.

The medical practitioner was disqualified by the Sarawak state legislative assembly sitting on May 12 after a vote on a ministerial motion moved against him on the grounds that he allegedly holds dual citizenship.

A total of 70 state assemblypersons voted in favour of the motion, tabled during the state assembly sitting, which subsequently led to Ting’s disqualification.

Ting then filed an originating summons to challenge his disqualification as the Pujut elected representative and restore his position in the august House.

The High Court last month allowed Ting's originating summons and reinstated his position as Pujut assemblyperson.

- Bernama