Mastura’s Chin Peng claims affected my reputation, says Kit Siang

FMT: 

Mastura’s Chin Peng

claims affected my

reputation, says Kit Siang

Predeep Nambiar

-03 Sep 2024, 10:00 PM

The veteran DAP leader rejects the defence’s attempt to downplay the allegations’ impact during his defamation suit against Kepala Batas MP Siti Mastura Muhammad.

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Veteran DAP politician Lim Kit Siang is suing Kepala Batas MP Siti Mastura Muhammad for alleging he has blood ties with the late Chin Peng and Lee Kuan Yew.

GEORGE TOWN: 

Veteran DAP politician Lim Kit Siang told the High Court here that allegations linking him to Communist Party of Malaya (CPM) leader Chin Peng has affected his reputation, challenging the argument that these claims did not cause any additional harm to his long-established political career.

Kit Siang said this when cross-examined by Kepala Batas MP Siti Mastura Muhammad’s lawyer Yusfarizal Yussoff who had suggested that Mastura’s remarks were intended to rally the PAS election machinery in Kemaman.

You cannot use such a thing as a defence in a defamation case,

 Kit Siang said in response.

Kit Siang and his son, Lim Guan Eng, are suing Mastura for alleging they have blood ties with the late Chin Peng and Lee Kuan Yew. She had also claimed that fellow DAP leader Teresa Kok is a cousin of Guan Eng’s wife, Betty Chew.

The remarks were allegedly made during a speech in Kemaman, Terengganu, last November.

Mastura previously defended her claims, saying they were sourced from a book published by Barisan Nasional’s communications department as part of the coalition’s 15th general election campaign material.

She cited the same source for her claims about the alleged family connections between Kit Siang, Guan Eng and Lee, as well as Kok’s supposed relationship with Chew.

The defence attempted to delve into Chinese customs regarding surnames, implying that it was possible for family ties to exist despite different surnames.

Kit Siang said this was possible, but that it did not justify Mastura’s insinuations.

For Malaysians, Chin Peng represents CPM and its past deeds,

 he said.

When Yusfarizal asked if the speech implied more about ideology than actual family ties, Kit Siang said that it appeared to be part of a broader conspiracy to harm the country.

He said it was frustrating to see Mastura make claims that his ideology aligned with that of the CPM, and that the implications of Mastura’s claims were far more weighty than PAS and DAP’s political differences.

Yusfarizal countered by pointing out that Kit Siang had faced similar accusations in the past, particularly in 2013 and 2017.

He suggested that Kit Siang’s reputation could not be further tarnished, given that he was a retired politician.

Yusfarizal also said when lawyer Syahredzan Johan shared the same claim on Twitter in 2017, Kit Siang claimed someone 

powerful

 in the Najib Razak administration had concocted it.

Kit Siang replied in the negative when Yusfarizal asked if he knew who the person was.

I have been defamed all my life. For a person with a doctorate to make such claims, I am shocked,

 said Kit Siang.

Yusfarizal then contended that Mastura never said Kit Siang was part of CPM, but Kit Siang said the implications were clear and damaging.

He said her remarks had a serious impact on his reputation, even if they were not directly linked to his professional capacity.

The trial, which also involves Guan Eng and Kok, will continue with further testimonies scheduled from Sept 17 before Justice Quay Chew Soon.

Lawyers SN Nair, RSN Rayer, Jaden Phoon and Wong Guo Jin represented the plaintiffs, while Yusfarizal, Faizi Che Abu, Nur Iffah Hizwani Omar and Amie Sharif Khairul Faizi represented Mastura.