High Court rules in PSB president's favour, no malice found in statement

KUCHING: The High Court here today has ruled in favour of Parti Sarawak Bersatu (PSB) president, Datuk Seri Wong Soon Koh, in a defamation suit filed against him by the Sarawak government.

Judicial Commissioner, Christopher Chin, said the court finds the plaintiff was wrongly named, and should have been limited to or included the Sarawak State Cabinet (MMKN), and hence the locus standi of the plaintiff is not established.

"(The court also finds that) the impugned words do not defame the plaintiff and (the court also) dismissed the plaintiff's writ and statement of claim with costs of RM30,000 to the defendant, subject to the allocator," he said.

The state government filed the suit against Wong, former state Second Finance Minister, for RM5 million, for alleged libelous content in a statement issued by him on May 9, over the settlement with Petronas on the state sales tax (SST).

Chin said that on several occasions he had urged the parties involved to resolve this political dispute within the political arena, and not through the courts.

"This case, which ended after a 10-day trial with seven witnesses from the plaintiff and another three from the defendant, has sapped money and time from both sides as well as this court.

"(The money and time) which would have been better spent serving the electorate to enhance the sense of legitimacy of the government in the eyes of Sarawakians," he added.

Meanwhile, when met at the PSB Bawang Assan service centre today, Wong said he was extremely pleased with the High Court's decision.

Wong said he had merely raised a few questions on the issue on behalf of all the people in the state, besides acting on his capacity as an elected representative and an Opposition party leader in Sarawak.

"I have the right to voice out matters that involve the public's interest," he said.

-- BERNAMA