GEORGE TOWN, Dec 9 — The High Court here today postponed to February 21 next year to hear the defamation suit filed by Baling MP Datuk Seri Abdul Azeez Abdul Rahim against former Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng in connection with an undersea tunnel construction project.
Judge Datuk Rosilah Yop set the date in chambers following an application by lawyer Felix Lim, representing Lim, for a new hearing date, as his client could not attend today’s hearing as he had to attend to other urgent matters.
The court had set today to continue to hear the case, where Lim was supposed to testify.
Abdul Azeez filed the suit in March last year, claiming that Lim, who is currently the finance minister, had issued defamatory statements during a press conference at the Chief Minister’s Office on February 28, 2018, and during a Chinese New Year open house hosted by the Penang Development Corporation on the same day, connecting him with a payment of RM3 million in consultation fee by the developer of the undersea tunnel project.
He claimed the statements gained widespread coverage and published in a number of websites, electronic news sites and local newspapers, and is seeking, among others, general and exemplary damages and other relief deemed fit by the court. — Bernama
