Chow wins suit against tycoon, awarded RM350,000 in damages

PETALING JAYA: Penang chief minister Chow Kon Yeow has won his defamation suit against tycoon Tan Kok Ping over remarks made by the latter on the controversial sale of state land which was eventually scrapped.

The Penang High Court awarded Chow RM350,000 in damages and RM50,000 in costs.

This came a week after the court dismissed Tan’s own suit against Chow over allegedly defamatory remarks related to Tan’s resignation from the Silver Jubilee Home for the Aged.

Today, Justice Quay Chew Soon said Tan’s statement, made in Mandarin on Oct 18, had defamatory imputations, adding that he had failed to prove his defence of justification, fair comment, and qualified privilege.

Quay said Tan’s remark that Chow was “incompetent, ignorant, and shameless” was not a comment but an accusation against the DAP man’s character, credibility, and competence.

He also said the Penang Chinese Chamber of Commerce life president had no reason to call for a press conference on the issue when the deal had already been terminated.

The judge also said an article by The Edge cited by Tan had no evidential value as it was an opinion piece “peppered with hearsay statements”.

“As the chief minister, the plaintiff has a heavy responsibility to lead the administration of the state, and therefore must be seen as impeccable and a person of high integrity and intelligence to perform his public duties,” he said in delivering his judgment.

Tan’s remarks concerned the sale of Batu Kawan land to Umech Construction Sdn Bhd without going through a tender process.

Chow said six Chinese language dailies had reported Tan’s remarks, which were later rewritten by other media outlets. He said the remarks were “defamatory and had disparaged him in his office, profession, and calling”.