GEORGE TOWN, March 5 — Former Penang Chief Minister Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon, Gerakan secretary-general Datuk Liang Teck Meng and Penang Barisan Nasional (BN) chairman Teng Chang Yeow are among witnesses to be called to testify in a defamation suit filed by Gerakan against Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng.

The names were mentioned by lawyer Datuk Baljit Singh, representing Liang, when the matter came up for case management before High Court judge Datuk Rosilah Yop  in chambers today.

Baljit, when met by reporters, said the court set Oct 22 to 26 to hear the suit, which is over Lim’s comment  on the sale of land in Tanjong Pinang by the previous Barisan nasional (BN) government.

"During the hearing, the plaintiff will call five witnesses  and they are Koh, Liang and Teng, while the two others will be determined later,” he said.

He said the court also set Aug 29 for another case management for submission of several documents and the witness statements.

Gerakan, through Liang, filed the suit on July 25 last year.

In the statement of claim, Liang stated that Lim had made a defamatory statement by alleging that the land in Tanjong Pinang was sold for RM1 per sq ft during the BN administration under the leadership of Chief Minister Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon. — Bernama