Utusan denies defaming Kit Siang over DAP’s CEC polls

(The Star) – Utusan Melayu (M) Bhd has denied defaming DAP adviser Lim Kit Siang in relation to the party’s central executive committee (CEC) election.

Utusan Melayu, named as the sole defendant in Lim’s suit, said it had exercised reasonable care in obtaining and verifying information contained in the article published in its newspaper, Mingguan Malaysia, on Aug 18 last year.

It said the journalistic investigations which led to the publication of the article was prompted by various statements and articles in the mass media in respect of the conduct and results of the DAP election held on Dec 15, 2012.

The defendant said it was also from a booklet titled “Laporan Ekuiti”, said to be the work of one Father Augustus Chen, which was distributed to the public.

Utusan claimed it had common interest in the subject and was under a moral or social duty to broadcast the information to the readers.

In its statement of defence filed on Nov 22 last year, Utusan contended that it relied on the entirety of its investigations prior to the publication of the article and refuted that Lim was entitled to any damages over the matter.

On Friday, High Court judge Justice Yeoh Wee Siam set Aug 22 to hear the suit after meeting the parties in chambers.

Lim’s lead counsel Gobind Singh Deo told reporters that so far, he was planning to call Lim to testify in the civil dispute.

Utusan’s lawyer Nur Afifah Mat said they had not finalised their witnesses, adding that the judge had ordered them to file issues to be tried and agreed facts by Feb 21.

“We have to file witness statements by April 11,” she said, adding that the judge also advised the parties to resort to mediation to resolve the suit.

Lim filed the suit against publisher Utusan for allegedly implying he manipulated DAP’s CEC election.

The Gelang Patah MP claimed that Utusan defamed him in its article, “Kit Siang manipulasi CEC? (Kit Siang manipulated CEC?)”, which implied he was untrustworthy and had achieved his political success in a dubious manner.

He said the offending words had implied that he was not fit to be a leader as he had manipulated the election for his victory and exploited the party’s constitution.

In the statement of claim filed on Sept 27 last year, Lim, who is also a CEC member, said the words were false and libelous.