Veteran journalist defends LRT3 article as fair comment, denies defamation

 

Veteran business writer P Gunasegaram has defended his article on the Shah Alam LRT3 line after it prompted a letter of demand (LOD) from Malaysian Resources Corporation Berhad (MRCB) and its executive vice-chairperson Salim Fateh Din.

Gunasegaram, who is also a Malaysiakini columnist, said the article was a fair comment on a matter of significant public importance and interest, noting that the project’s original cost of RM31.7 billion was later reduced to RM16.7 billion, then increased to RM22 billion.

“The public deserves a full explanation from the government on the costs and the delays,” he said in his reply to the LOD.

“The mention of MRCB and its vice-chairperson are matters of fact. Their involvement in the company cannot be denied. I strongly deny any defamation and malice.

“I maintain I was well within journalistic limits. My article raised questions which are reasonable. It was a fair comment made on a topic of great public interest and massive costs, for which there is considerable justification,” he added.

While refusing to retract the article or apologise, Gunasegaram said he was prepared to publish the views of MRCB and Salim.

“However, if MRCB and the vice-chairperson want to make their views known in a reasonable article which does not defame anyone, I will be happy to give their comments equal prominence in a reply for publications under my control in the spirit of freedom of expression and being heard,” he added.

In the LOD sent to Gunasegaram through Messrs Selva Mookiah, MRCB and Salim, who is also the MCMC chairperson, alleged that the article contained serious insinuations concerning political patronage, procurement irregularities, and abuse of public resources without identifying any factual basis capable of substantiating those allegations. - Mkini