PUTRAJAYA: Kepong MP Lim Lip Eng has filed a notice of motion in the Court of Appeal to stay a RM2 million judgment in a defamation suit brought by the founder of an e-commerce firm against him.
Lim’s lawyer, Guok Ngek Seong, said the application, together with a certificate of urgency, was filed yesterday afternoon.
“The Court of Appeal registry has fixed case management for tomorrow,” he told FMT.
In the notice of motion, Lim said he wants the appeals court to suspend payment of the judgment sum ordered by the High Court on March 16 pending a ruling by the Court of Appeal.
He is also seeking an interim stay of the judgment pending the disposal of his application.
Lim said there is a great risk that he will not be able to recover the judgment sum if paid to the plaintiffs should the Court of Appeal subsequently allow his appeal.
He has already filed an appeal to set aside the High Court’s decision.
He has also managed to crowdfund slightly more than RM2.25 million, which is being held by his lawyer as stakeholder.
Further, he said, the second plaintiff, MonSpace (M) Sdn Bhd, had been found guilty of money laundering and anti-pyramid scheme offences for promoting a “get rich quick” plan.
The High Court in Kuala Lumpur yesterday dismissed Lim’s stay on grounds that there were no special circumstances to suspend the judgment.
The trial court ordered Lim to pay the RM2 million after holding him liable for defaming businesswoman Jessy Lai and her company, MonSpace.
Justice Akhtar Tahir had allowed Lai’s lawsuit against Lim over statements Lim made about her and MonSpace in 2017.
Lim was ordered to pay general damages of RM500,000 to Lai and RM1 million to MonSpace. He was also ordered to pay them another RM500,000 in aggravated damages.
In his ruling earlier, Akhtar said he found Lim’s actions akin to those of a “vigilante”, who was determined to force the authorities to act against Lai and her company at any cost.
He also said the RM2 million in damages was to serve as a deterrent against anyone who made unfounded remarks.
In her lawsuit, Lai said Lim had tarnished her reputation and that of her company by accusing them of running an illegal business and cheating Chinese investors.
She said the MP’s statements, published by the English and Chinese media, had implied that she was a dishonest person. - FMT
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