Kong: FB post only asked plaintiff to be transparent in business dealings with GPS govt

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Shankar (right) is seen speaking with Wee (second right) and wife Datin Donna Drury Wee (third right) at the court complex.

KUCHING (Oct 12): The High Court here yesterday was told by defendant Michael Kong that his Facebook posting was merely asking plaintiff Dato Richard Wee to be open and transparent in respect to his business interests with the current Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) government.

During cross-examination by Wee’s counsel Shankar Ram Asnani, Kong disagreed when it was put to him that his Facebook post was to incite the Chinese community’s hatred against the plaintiff.

Kong: I disagree with this allegation. It is clear from the statement that I have merely asked the plaintiff to be open and transparent in respect to his business interests with the current GPS government. This can be seen in the opening paragraph and the concluding paragraph of my Facebook post dated July 21, 2020, where I pressed on the need for the plaintiff to make full disclosure of any associations and business connection through the GPS government before speaking up on political matters.

Shankar: Your Facebook post clearly made a statement connecting the plaintiff with corruption, nepotism and sleazy dealings that are dependent on connections with the elites and GPS government and with Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB).

Kong: I disagree that there was any connotations that there was corruption, nepotism and sleazy dealings between the plaintiff and the elites or GPS government. I take this court to line one of the last paragraph of my Facebook post dated July 21, 2020, where I stated that there is a freedom of expression and associations.

Kong, who is a special assistant to Sarawak DAP chairman Chong Chieng Jen, is being sued for defamation by entrepreneur Wee, who is also Sarawak Federation of Chinese Associations president, for allegedly disparaging his reputation via the Facebook post on July 21, 2020.

Kong further told the court that by issuing such statement, he had made it clear that it was fine if the plaintiff wanted to continue to be a business associate of Ibrahim Baki, the then deputy secretary-general of PBB, provided that any such association be made known to the public before the plaintiff makes any political statement or stance.

Kong is the final defence witness in the defamation suit, which is being presided over by Judge Dr Alwi Abdul Wahab.

On July 21, 2020, Kong posted a statement on his Facebook page containing alleged defamatory remarks against Wee.

Wee is seeking general damages, 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.

Assisting Shankar are lawyers Yu Ying Ying and Russell Lim, while Kong is represented by Chong who is assisted by lawyer Sim Kiat Leng.

The trial continues today.