GEORGE TOWN, Jan 4 — Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow has filed a defamation suit against prominent tycoon Tan Sri Tan Kok Ping for the latter’s remarks last year about a proposed development project between the state’s investment arm and Umech Land Sdn Bhd that has since been terminated.
Chow said his lawyers have extracted a sealed copy of the writ and statement of claim yesterday and will be serving in on Tan who is also the life honorary president of the Penang Chinese Chamber of Commerce.
Chow accused Tan of making defamatory remarks against him during an October 18 press conference about the joint development agreement dated last September 27 for a proposed development project between Penang Development Corporation (PDC) and Umech Land.
“Even though the termination of the Agreement was already announced by PDC to the media and the public on October 16, 2023, Tan deliberately made slanderous statement in Mandarin during the press conference calculated to attack my character, credibility, competency and capability as the Chief Minister of Penang and as the Chairman of PDC,” he said.
He said the alleged slanderous statement by Tan was not published in several prominent Chinese language newspapers.
“Given that there was no attempt by Tan to apologise or to retract the slanderous statement made, I am compelled to pursue legal action against him,” he said.
Chow added that his defamation suit is set for an e-review case management at the High Court on January 24.
