KUALA LUMPUR – Three DAP leaders and PAS’ Kepala Batas MP Siti Mastura Muhammad will face off in a trial before the Penang High Court in September after mediation fell through today.
The court initially ordered for all parties to hold mediation talks to resolve the defamation suit filed against Siti Mastura over her allegations that DAP chairman Lim Guan Eng, Seputeh MP Teresa Kok and party veteran Lim Kit Siang have familial ties with the late communist leader Chin Peng.
Lawyer Datuk S.N. Nair, who represented the three DAP leaders, told Scoop that they “were not able to reach an agreement to settle the suit during mediation”.
He added that the court had fixed September 2, 3 and 17 to 20 for trial.
The DAP trio are seeking compensation for general, exemplary and severe damages as well as an injunction order to restrain Siti Mastura from further publishing statements.
They are also claiming 5% per annum on the judgment sum from the date of the accrual of action until the date of full settlement, costs, as well as other relief deemed fit by the court.
Kok, Kit Siang and Guan Eng filed a defamation suit on November 27 last year against Siti Mastura over the “Chin Peng-Kuan Yew” speech delivered during Majlis Himpunan Muslimat and Ameerah Pilihan Raya Kecil Kemaman on November 4 the same year.
The suit was filed via solicitors S.N. Nair & Partners at the George Town High Court in Penang.
Siti Mastura had claimed that Guan Eng and Kit Siang were related to the former Singapore prime minister, the late Lee Kuan Yew, and the long-deceased former Malayan Communist Party leader Chin Peng.
She also alleged that Guan Eng’s wife – Betty Chew – and Kok were cousins, as well as claiming Guan Eng and Kit Siang were related to other DAP figures, such as secretary-general and Transport Minister Anthony Loke, Housing and Local Government Minister Nga Kor Ming and Beruas MP Datuk Ngeh Koo Ham.
Siti Mastura had “renamed” Lee Kuan Yew to “Lim Kuan Yew” in her speech. The Kepala Batas MP, however, defended her speech when she appeared at Bukit Aman to have her statement recorded.
She also refused to retract her allegations when pressed by other lawmakers in the Dewan Rakyat on November 7. – May 15, 2024