Ex-IGP denied my son was detained in S'pore, Guan Eng testifies in suit trial

Lim Guan Eng testified that former inspector-general of police Abdul Hamid Bador had denied the claim that the former’s son was detained in Singapore over undeclared cash of RM2 million four years ago.

Guan Eng also pointed out that Hamid had similarly rubbished allegations that the former finance minister went to Singapore to save his son Clint Lim on Feb 29, 2020.

“Hamid denied that I went to Singapore to save my son. The then IGP confirmed the allegations were false,” Guan Eng told the Kuala Lumpur High Court.

The former IGP made the denial on March 14, 2020.

The DAP chairperson was testifying on the first day of his defamation suit trial against controversial blogger Wan Muhammad Azri Wan Deris, also known as Papagomo.

On March 14, 2020, Hamid denied the allegation against Guan Eng and his son, Clint Lim.

‘I was in KL due to Sheraton Move’

During proceedings before judicial commissioner Eddie Yeo this afternoon, Guan Eng testified that he could not have flown to Singapore then due to the political turmoil caused by the Sheraton Move.

“It was public knowledge that the Sheraton Move then caused a change of government (from Pakatan Harapan to a Perikatan Nasional administration).

“I was in Malaysia at the time to handle the crisis. Everybody was in Kuala Lumpur as we were sending letters to the Agong over the next candidate for prime minister,” he said.

The lawmaker is seeking RM3 million in damages from Wan Azri, who denies being blogger Papagomo.

“I wish to appeal to the court that I am seeking RM3 million in damages as this involves an allegation from the defendant that my son was arrested in Singapore with RM2 million in cash and that I was forced to fly to Singapore to save him.

“The defendant had attacked my family many times and this is to prevent him from further defaming us,” Guan Eng added.

Another son targeted before

The plaintiff claimed that even in 2011, Wan Azri had alleged in a blog post that one of his (Guan Eng) three sons, then 15, had molested a classmate.

“This has been proven false by the headmaster of the government school. The photo shown by the defendant as the alleged victim was actually a female chess champion from Hong Kong, who never came to Penang,” Guan Eng said.

In 2011, Anya Corke, whose photo was linked to the claim against Guan Eng’s son, denied the allegation that the son had ever victimised her.

Guan Eng and Clint are suing Wan Azri, a former Umno Youth exco member, over an alleged Facebook post dated March 14, 2020.

In his defence, Wan Azri denied being the blogger Papagomo linked to the online posting and also alternatively raised the defence of justification and fair comment.

Guan Eng is represented by counsel Simon Murali, while lawyer Logen Eskander appeared for Wan Azri.

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