KUALA LUMPUR, May 23 — The Court of Appeal today reversed a High Court decision ordering activist Jimmy Lim and Free Malaysia Today to pay Lim Guan Eng RM300,000 for defamation.
According to news portal Malaysiakini, a three-man panel led by Justice Hamid Sultan Abu Backer ruled an article titled "Guan Eng has failed, says NGO" was not defamatory.
"It was written in a temperate tone," Hamid was quoted as saying in the report.
Last August, Penang Citizens Awareness Chant Group (Chant) advisor Lim, Mtoday News Sdn Bhd (the news portal’s published) and journalist S. Karunakara were ordered to pay the sum with five per cent interest per annum.
The activist today expressed relief over the decision, insisting he only spoke out to safeguard Penang’s welfare.
“I am fighting for the heritage of Penang either man-made or natural. I do not have anything against anyone personally,” he was quoted as saying.
Lim had claimed in his defamation suit that the article described him as a chief minister without calibre for trying to destroy the world heritage status accorded to Penang.
He had also complained that the article 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.
The Chant advisor was represented by lawyer Baljit Singh while Clement G. Lopez was FMT's counsel.
Lawyer N. Mureli appeared for the Penang chief minister.
