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Guan Eng sues Zuraida for defamation
Lim Guan Eng has turned to the civil court to compel Zuraida Kamaruddin to pay him damages over purported defamation linked to an allegedly rejected allocation to construct houses in five estates in Kuala Kubu Baharu.
Lim, who is former finance minister, filed the defamation suit at the Kuala Lumpur High Court today, targeting the former housing and local government minister as one of three defendants.
Lim Guan Eng has turned to the civil court to compel Zuraida Kamaruddin to pay him damages over purported defamation linked to an allegedly rejected allocation to construct houses in five estates in Kuala Kubu Baharu.
Lim, who is former finance minister, filed the defamation suit at the Kuala Lumpur High Court today, targeting the former housing and local government minister as one of three defendants.
The other two defendants are an editor of online news portal Malaysianow and its owner, Mnow Media Sdn Bhd.
According to the statement of claim made available to the media, Lim claimed that Zuraida uttered the purported defamatory statement on May 10 which directly referred to the plaintiff in relation to the housing project for former plantation workers in Bestari Jaya.
The allegation centred on what allegedly took place during Lim’s tenure helming the Finance Ministry between 2018 and 2020.
The Bagan MP claimed that the statement was carried on Malaysianow, via the article “Zuraida dakwa Guan Eng tolak dua kali permohonan KPKT bina rumah pekerja ladang Bestari Jaya” published on the same date.
Lim claimed that Zuraida’s statement was false and that his former political secretary at the Finance Ministry, Tony Pua had immediately responded with a Facebook posting to rubbish the allegation.
The plaintiff claimed that his solicitors from SN Nair & Partners issued a letter of demand to the defendant on May 13 demanding her to apologise, retract the allegation, and pay compensation.
Lim, however, claimed that Zuraida’s counsel from law firm Zharif Nizamuddin on May 15 responded to his legal letter with a denial.
The plaintiff also alleged that the other two defendants did not respond to his letter of demand to retract the online article, apologise, and pay damages to him.
In her response to Lim’s letter of demand, Zuraida asserted the truthfulness of the allegation, stressing she is willing to subpoena a senior civil servant to confirm the claim.
Lim seeks multiple reliefs, including unspecified general, compensatory, aggravated, and exemplary damages.
The plaintiff also seeks an injunction to prevent the three defendants from further disseminating and publishing the allegedly defamatory statement.
According to Lim’s counsel Sankara Nair, the defamation action was filed this afternoon, and the plaintiff’s legal team are awaiting extraction of sealed copies from the court to serve the cause papers on Zuraida.
Malaysiakini has reached out to Zuraida’s legal team for a response.
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