TAKING LEGAL ACTION: Ding (centre) is flanked by Teng on his right and Ling during the press conference.
SARIKEI: The chairman of Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) Sarikei branch, Ding Kuong Hiing, has instructed his lawyers to commence immediate legal action against Repok assemblyman Dr Wong Hua Seh of Democratic Action Party (DAP) for the latter’s refusal to retract his defamatory remarks and tender an apology to the former within the given period.
During a press conference here yesterday, Ding said he had on Mar 26 demanded via the mass media that Dr Wong retract the baseless, unfounded and defamatory statements within 7 days, which now had already lapsed.
Further to that, he said he had also demanded Dr Wong to undertake that he would not repeat such defamatory remarks against him in the future, adding, however, his reasonable request had been turned down by Dr Wong.
“As such, I am now left with no choice but compelled to engage Messrs Wong, Orlando Chua & Kuok Advocates to commence immediate legal actions against Dr Wong Hua Seh,” Ding said.
Ding was referring to the remarks uttered by Dr Wong during a DAP ‘ceramah’ on the night of Mar 23 in Sarikei town, which he described as baseless personal attacks against him.
In his speech, Dr Wong stated that the RM45 million highway project linking Sarikei and Tanjung Manis as announced by Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin during the latter’s visit to Sarikei in January this year was a ‘cheating plot’, thus insinuating him (Ding) as a cheat, Ding said.
Dr Wong had also stated that his (Ding’s) announcement to chip in a grant of RM500,000 to Ming Lik Independent Chinese School if he were to be re-elected MP of Sarikei in the coming 13th general election as another of his ‘cheating plots’, Ding added.
“I am hurt and very angry with the baseless and unfounded remarks made by Dr Wong against me. I have always served the people in Sarikei with sincerity. Therefore, I am left with no choice but to resort to legal proceedings to seek justice and restore my reputation,” Ding asserted in a signed statement released to the press.
“In my humble opinion, any general election should be debated and won on policy matters but not by mud-slinging the opponent(s), especially by uttering baseless and defamatory remarks so as just to gain political mileage,” Ding added.
Ding was joined at the press conference held at Sarikei Chiang Chua Association’s premises here by SUPP Sarikei branch Youth chief councillor Teng Ung Woo and committee member Ling Kuong Nguong.
Meanwhile, when responding via mass media to Ding’s request on Mar 24, Dr Wong said he would not apologise to Ding over the statement he made on the proposed Sarikei/Tanjung Manis Road project.
He also refused to rebut the defamatory remarks he allegedly made on other matters as claimed by Ding in local newspapers yesterday, preferring to leave the matter to his lawyer.
On the speech he made on Mar 23, Dr Wong said he was basically referring to the promises made by Ding during the last general election – that is the proposed Sarikei/Tanjung Manis Road and TAR College in Bintangor.
“Till today, the two projects remain mere promises. There is no plan or design for either the TAR or Tanjung Manis/Sarikei Road project,” Dr Wong was quoted to have said.
“Even though Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin had announced the approval of RM45 million for the Sarikei/Tanjung Manis Road project during his visit here on Jan 29, it did not mean that the promise had been fulfilled,” he added.
He stressed that the public were not interested in the follow-up letters written by the deputy prime minister to the various ministries, departments or the chief minister of Sarawak as they wanted a simple answer.
“The people, especially the contractors, are interested to know when the design or plan for the project will be ready and be tendered out. When is the construction scheduled to commence and when is its expected date of completion?” he said further.