Raub gold mine sues three anti-cyanide activists

Raub Australian Gold Mining (RAGM) has initiated three defamation suits against three members of the Ban Cyanide Action Group (BCAC), which has been critical of the company's gold mining in Bukit Koman, Raub, Pahang.

Three statements of claim have been sent to BCAC's chairperson Wong Kim Hoong, vice-chairperson Hue Shieh Lee, and secretary Hue Fui How.

RGAB is claiming that the individuals have committed defamation through their statements made in two news articles that were published in both Malaysiakini and Free Malaysia Today (FMT).
RGAB has previously filed defamation suits against bothMalaysiakiniand FMT, insisting that allegations that sodium cyanide used for gold extraction was hazardous to Bukit Koman residents are unsubstantiated.

The present lawsuits were filed on behalf of RAGB by its lawyers, Messrs Zul Rafique & Partners.

In the suits, the company is seeking general, exemplary, and also aggravated damages for "libel and malicious falsehood", apart from an injunction against the individuals from speaking about the companies' activities any further.

The quantum of damages sought were not specified.

The company is also seeking interest on the sum of damages from the date of publication of the articles until the date of the judgement, and a further interest sum between the date of the judgement to the date of the full and final settlement.

"..the plaintiff has been brought to public scandal, hatred, ridicule and their reputation/character has been injured/tarnished and lowered in the estimation of right thinking members in the general public, and suffered damage," the lawsuits read.

The company said in the lawsuits that the defendants have failed to contact the company in order to verify facts and figures before making the allegations.

When contacted later, Shieh Lee (left) said that she and her colleagues are prepared to fight the case since the lawsuits have been filed.

She and her fellow BCAC leaders have previously refused to apologise during three rounds of legal letters sent by RAGB since late last year to the BCAC leaders.

Malaysiakini has contacted RAGM chairperson Andrew Kam Tai Yeow but has not received any response so far.