KUALA LUMPUR, June 14 — MonSpace (M) Sdn Bhd founder Datuk Seri Jessy Lai today sued Kepong MP Lim Lip Eng over his alleged defamatory remarks in relation to the firm being involved in an investment scheme that has failed to pay returns as promised to its investors.
Earlier, at the High Court, Lai’s lawyer Andy Yong said his client was seeking damages and compensation from Lim for damaging her reputation, as well as an injunction to stop Lim from publishing the remarks in whatever manner deemed defamatory to her.
Meanwhile, Lai explained that the suit against Lim followed after the latter made numerous alleged defamatory remarks against her previously, including making false accusations by antagonising the company during a May 23, 2017 visit.
She explained that despite Lim’s disapproving remarks, she had embraced them positively and the lawsuit only came about due to the gravity of the situation as Lim’s accusations had caused prejudice among investors.
According to the statement of claim for the suit which Malay Mail obtained, Lai is seeking to claim general and aggravated damages for over 15 allegedly defamatory remarks made by Lim in five media publications between 2017 and 2018.
In the lawsuit, Lai had accused Lim of making allegedly defamatory remarks against the company and her by speaking to the media to purportedly severely disparage their reputation and image in the eyes of the public during a visit to MonSpace’s headquarters in Bukit Jalil on May 23.
Lim, Sungai Pelek assemblyman Ronnie Liu Tian Khiew and 19 Chinese nationals, who claimed they were victims of the MonSpace investment scheme, had gone to the headquarters of the multinational company to demand a refund or at least an explanation as to why their investment had not materialised.
She claimed that Lim’s remarks implied she was running an illegal business, cheated its Chinese investors, dishonest and untruthful and not law-abiding.
The lawsuit today was filed against Lim in both her personal capacity as well as in the company’s official capacity.
The High Court set June 26 for case management.
