GEORGE TOWN: Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng withdrew his defamation suit against PAS Information chief Nasrudin Hassan yesterday after the latter agreed to retract his allegedly disparaging remarks.
The High Court case was related to the RM4.63-billion undersea tunnel project of the Penang state government.
Judicial commissioner Lim Chong Fong struck out Lim’s writ of summons and recorded the case as settled after both parties agreed not to pursue the matter.
Nasrudin, who is also Temerloh MP, told the court yesterday that he regretted writing the article “which had caused a misperception of the Penang Chief Minister”.
He also agreed to remove the alleged defamatory article from his Facebook account.
The court ordered him to pay RM10,000 in costs to Lim.
The trial was to have begun yesterday.
On Oct 1, 2014, Lim sued Nasrudin over his remarks in an article posted on Facebook.com/ustaztantawi titled, “Apa beza Kidex dan Penang Tunnel?” (What is the difference between Kidex and Penang tunnel?), dated Aug 6, 2014.
In his statement of claim, Lim alleged that the article was libellous, false and malicious against him.
He alleged that Nasrudin’s remarks appeared to mean that the tunnel project, fully financed by the DAP-led Penang government was awarded to Construction Zenith BUCG Sdn Bhd through direct negotiation.
He said the article had implied that he had approved and awarded the project to the company without following the proper procedure.
Lim claimed that Nasrudin had disparaged his reputation by portraying him to be a chief minister who had failed to safeguard the interest and well-being of the people of Penang.
The chief minister was represented by counsel Datuk N Mureli and Nasrudin, by Wan Rohimi Wan Daud. — Bernama