Trial of Pahang govt’s libel suit against ex-MP starts tomorrow

FMT:

Trial of Pahang govt’s libel suit against ex-MP starts tomorrow


3 hours ago
V Anbalagan

Wong Tack will argue that the state government cannot sue him for defamation as, unlike an individual, it has no reputation to protect

The Pahang government is suing former Bentong MP Wong Tack over statements published on Facebook on Dec 28, 2020 and Jan 30, 2021.

PETALING JAYA: The High Court in Bentong is scheduled to hear over four days from tomorrow a libel suit brought by the Pahang government against a former MP for allegedly making defamatory statements about logging activities in the state.

Lawyer R Kengadharan, representing former Bentong MP Wong Tack, said five witnesses will testify for the state government before Justice Roslan Mat Nor.

“Another five witnesses, including Wong, will take the stand for the defendant,” he told FMT.


Kengadharan said he would raise a legal point that the state government cannot sue his client for defamation as it is not an individual with a reputation to protect.

The recently appointed counsel said the pleadings in the case, comprising the Pahang government’s statement of claim, Wong’s defence, and the state’s reply, were filed three years ago.


The state government is seeking an apology and RM1 million in damages from Wong, a one-term MP who stood for election on a Pakatan Harapan ticket in 2018.

It said Wong, an environmentalist, had posted videos and made statements on Facebook on Dec 28, 2020 and Jan 30, 2021, which, when read together, were defamatory of the state authorities.

The state government said Wong’s statements implied that it had allowed uncontrollable logging in rainfall areas within the state that had led to massive floods.

It said the statements also alleged that the state government was involved in logging and illegal exploitation of forest land.


It further alleged that the former MP’s statements had suggested that the state had acted irresponsibly and that it did not care for the welfare of the people of Pahang.

The state government also claimed that Wong had implied it was lying and oppressing its people by allowing widespread logging activities in Pahang’s forests.

It said Wong’s statements had subjected the state government to public criticism and damaged its reputation.

Wong, who was unsuccessful in his defence of the Bentong seat at the 15th general election in November 2022, is relying on the defence of justification and fair comment.