(From left to right) Yap, Siew Chiang, Tan and Kong walking towards the High Court room after a proceeding at Lim’s chambers in the morning.
KUCHING: A High Court today dismissed Sarawak DAP chairman Chong Chieng Jen’s application for a stay in the defamation suit filed by Santubong MP Dato Sri Wan Junaidi for labeling him a “hypocrite”.
Judicial Commissioner Dr Lim Hock Leng, who made the ruling, said there was no special consequence to sustain Chong’s application.
Lim also ordered that Chong pay cost of RM1,000 to Wan Junaidi and that the hearing proper for the defamation suit would begin at 9.30am tomorrow.
Chong who was represented by a team of lawyers headed by his father Chong Siew Chiang, filed an application for a stay of the proceeding two weeks ago because he is appealing to the Court of Appeal against the High Court decision to dismiss his application to strike out Wan Junaidi’s defamation suit in December last year.
On Dec 20 2019, the High Court dismissed the application by Chong to strike out Wan Junaidi’s defamation suit against him because it has no merit.
Lim who delivered the order then through video conferencing from Sibu, said the dismissal came with cost of RM3,000 against Chong who is also Bandar Kuching MP and Kota Sentosa assemblyman.
On March 31, 2019 Chong had reportedly branded Wan Junaidi a “hypocrite’” at a press conference here.
The offending remark was not only published in several newspapers but also uploaded by a news portal in a video, according to Wan Junaidi’s claim.
On April 3 2019, Wan Junaidi demanded from Chong to withdraw the said the offending remark and to publish an apology in newspapers of different languages.
Chong was then given until no later than 5pm on April 8 2019 to respond to Wan Junaidi, failing which the latter would initiate court proceedings against him.
As Chong failed to do so, Wan Junaidi filed the suit, claiming almost RM1 million in damages from the former.
The High Court has fixed today until Thursday (March 5) for the hearing of the defamation suit..
Siew Chiang was assisted by lawyers, Michael Kong and Tan Kee Heng.
Wan Junaidi, also a lawyer and former deputy speaker of Parliament was represented by Counsel Wilfred Yap.