Former Malacca chief minister Rahim Thamby Chik has filed a suit against DAP assistant secretary-general Khoo Poay Tiong and the party for allegedly defaming him in an article that linked him to various scandals.
Rahim filed the suit via legal firm The Chambers of Frida on Sept 17.
Besides Khoo, Rahim (above) also named DAP office bearers: national chairperson Tan Kok Wai, deputy chairperson Gobind Singh Deo, and secretary-general Lim Guan Eng as defendants.
In his statement of claim, Rahim alleged that on Dec 16, 2018, Khoo, who is also Kota Melaka MP, had written, published, and/or caused an article to be published, with defamatory words linking him to various scandals, on his Facebook page, the DAP website, and an online news portal.
The plaintiff also claimed that Tan, Gobind, and Lim had published and/or caused the article to be published on the party’s website until it can be accessed and shared in blogs, forums, and portals without limitations.
Rahim claimed that the alleged defamatory words described him as, among others, a corrupt individual, involved in sexual crimes, abuse of power, and malpractice, which he said were untrue, baseless, and published with malicious intent.
According to the plaintiff who resigned as chief minister in October 1994, the allegations and insinuations have benefited the first defendant as a politician but at the same time caused maximum damage to his reputation.
Rahim alleged that although he had, via his lawyer, demanded Khoo retract the article and apologise in a letter dated Feb 18, 2019, the first defendant refused to do so and even challenged him to file the suit.
However, Rahim said newspaper The Star had published a statement on July 27, 2019, titled “Sorry, Rahim Tamby Chik is not father of scandals” to apologise to him over the article.
Rahim seeks, among others, general, aggravated, and exemplary damages and other orders deemed appropriate by the court.
He also seeks an order that the defendants remove the article from Facebook and the DAP website, and publish a written apology.
Case management has been set for next Monday by e-review before High Court deputy registrar Idamasliza Maarof.
- Bernama
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