GEORGE TOWN, Aug 4 — The High Court here today ordered Penang Citizens Awareness Chant Group (Chant) adviser Lim Cheok and two others to pay RM300,000 in damages to Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng for defaming him in an article on world heritage status and Kampung Buah Pala.  

Judicial Commissioner Datuk Nordin Hassan also ordered the adviser better known as Jimmy Lim, who is the first defendant, Mtoday News Sdn Bhd (second defendant) and journalist S. Karunakara, also known as Athi Shankar (third defendant) to pay the sum with five per cent interest per annum. 

The three defendants were also told to pay Lim, who is also Bagan Member of Parliament, the legal costs of RM30,000.

Nordin in his judgment said Lim had proved his case against the three defendants.

He said the statements published in the article dated December 6 2013 was a clear defamation against the plaintiff and ordered the second and third defendants to retract the article published in Free Malaysia Today website.

 “The article published on Dec 6, 2013, had accused the plaintiff and clearly lowered his (Lim) credibility in the eyes of the community,” he said.  Nordin said the defendants had also failed to prove that the statements issued and published by them were not defamatory. 

In January last year, Lim filed a lawsuit alleging the first defendant had made a statement which was misleading, malicious and defamatory against him in a press conference on Dec 6, 2013.

In his statement of claim, Lim claimed that Mtoday News Sdn Bhd and Athi Shankar had deliberately, erroneously and with malicious intent caused the publication of an article, “Guan Eng has failed, says NGO”.  The plaintiff claimed that the article, which appeared in the Free Malaysia Today portal on the same day, described him as a chief minister without calibre for trying to destroy the world heritage status accorded to Penang.

Lim, who was represented by lawyer Datuk N. Mureli claimed that the article also described him as a leader or individual who was indifferent to the welfare of the Indian community by allowing the destruction of Kampung Buah Pala. 

He was seeking general, aggravated and exemplary damages, and an order compelling the defendants to withdraw the article and an apology from them, aside from interest, cost and other relief deemed fit by the court. 

Meanwhile, Jimmy’s lawyer Baljit Singh said when met outside the court that he would file an appeal soon.

Jimmy in a press release issued to the media expressed disappointment in the decision.

“However, the decision has not affected our enthusiasm in preserving Penang’s heritage and we will continue in our efforts to do so,” he said. — Bernama