20 May 2015

Court strikes out ex-minister’s suit due to non-compliance of rules

The High Court today struck out a RM12 million defamation suit by former transport minister Tan Sri Ong Tee Keat against Social Care Foundation chairman Tan Sri Robert Phang Miow Sin on grounds his court papers were not in order.

Lawyer S.N. Nair, who represented Phang, said judge Rosnaini Saub dismissed the suit on technical grounds. "The plaintiff (Ong) did not comply with the Rules of the High Court," he told The Malaysian Insider.

The ruling was delivered in chambers on May 14 and the judge ordered each party to bear their owns costs. On December 2 last year, Ong filed the suit, claiming Phang maliciously injured his reputation repeatedly in the local Chinese media.

The former MCA president said he decided to go to court after Phang refused to retract his press statements and apologise for his defamatory remarks.

The former Pandan MP said he is still a renowned Chinese language creative writer with numerous accolades and was well known in Malaysia and overseas.

In his statement of claim, Ong said Phang's defamatory remarks in their natural and ordinary meanings gave the impression that he was an ungrateful and heartless man.

Ong said the statements carried in the media also meant that he had deserted his supporters and that he lacked principle. Furthermore, he said, Phang's statements painted a picture that he was hated by many people.

 In October 2008, Ong was elected MCA president while Tan Sri Dr Chua Soi Lek was elected deputy president and this set off a tumultuous partnership between the two. He remained in the post until he was ousted by Dr Chua in March 2010.

Ong then attempted to make a comeback last year when he contested in the three-man presidential race, which was won by Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai, who is now transport minister.

 He came last, obtaining a paltry 160 votes. Liow obtained 1,186 votes while another contender, former vice-president Gan Ping Sieu, received 1,000 votes. – May 19, 2015.



Source : http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/court-strikes-out-ex-ministers-suit-due-to-non-compliance-of-rules

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