PETALING JAYA, Dec 15 ― Lim Lip Eng said he will not retract claims of preferential treatment for a firm issuing unique vehicle registration numbers after former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak and his wife initiated legal action against him.
The Kepong MP disclosed today that he received a letter of demand from Najib and Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor’s lawyers yesterday demanding a full apology and claiming RM100 million in damages for alleged defamation.
“I will not apologise and I will not pay them because I have no money.
“I will gladly establish the link in a court of law in due course if they want to pursue the matter against me,” he said during a press conference at his service centre in Kepong.
In a press conference in the Parliament building on December 3, Lim had questioned the Road Transport Department's (JPJ) decision to grant three registration number series to Brandworth Corp that he claimed was closely-linked to Najib and Rosmah.
Lim also mocked Najib and Rosmah’s claim for RM100 million as compensation for emotional distress, saying they likely needed fresh funds as bail for their numerous criminal charges.
He also rejected their claims of defamation by saying that he did not directly accuse them of anything.
The DAP lawmaker then said he has lodged reports with the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) over the findings several days after the press conference in Parliament.
According to a list of vehicle registration series furnished by Lim, Brandworth Corp received the series YA and YC for numbers ranging from 1 to 9999. The approval was granted on Nov 28, 2017.
Another series, X 1 to 9999, was also approved on Jan 10 this year to Brandworth Corp.
Lim said that with a payment just RM1 million to the RTD, the company stood to pocket over RM10 million from auctioning off those registration numbers.
Brandworth Corp has been described as a propaganda unit in the employ of Najib when he was still the prime minister.
Transport Minister Anthony Loke reiterated in the Dewan Rakyat last month that the special registration numbers will no longer be given to private groups or individuals and will only be issued by the RTD and the government.
