Defamation: Court orders DAP’s Kong to pay RM250,000 to S’wak Chinese associations federation president

KUCHING (Jan 26): The High Court here today ordered Sarawak Democratic Action Party (DAP) man Michael Kong to pay damages of RM250,000 for defaming Sarawak Federation of Chinese Associations president Datuk Richard Wee in a Facebook post.

Judge Dr Alwi Abdul Wahab also ordered the defendant to remove the July 21, 2020 post within seven days from judgment.

Wee had sued Kong – a special assistant to Sarawak DAP chairman Chong Chieng Jen – over disparaging remarks made against and his family in the post.

He sought general and exemplary damages for libel and malicious falsehood, and an injunction to restrain the defendant from publishing, causing to be published, circulating, and distributing the said post.

Kong’s post was made after Wee in 2020 made a personal observation that more urban Chinese voters in the state would likely support Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) in the state election due to the coalition’s continued efforts to defend Sarawak’s rights.

When met after the proceeding, Wee said he welcomed the court’s decision and maintained that the opinion he expressed at the time was not political in nature.

“It was never (political) on my part, but that was taken by them, which to me never should have been done.

“The most offending remarks levelled at me concerned my personal reputation and that of my family’s. My family name is something which I treasure a lot and he (Kong) tried to say that it’s corrupt and all that.

“It’s not something that I, the family, could take,” he said.

“Basically, like the judge said, we are the third generation and I am just trying to keep up my family’s name.”

The trial, which started on June 22, 2021, saw 17 plaintiff witnesses including Wee, and four defence witnesses including Kong, testifying.

Representing Wee were lawyers Shankar Ram Asnani, Russell Lim and Yu Ying Ying, while Kong was represented by counsels Chieng Jen, Chong Siew Chiang and Sim Kiat Leng.

Meanwhile, Chieng Jen, who is Stampin MP and Padungan assemblyman, told reporters that he would discuss with his team on whether they would file an appeal against the judgment.