Consortium Zenith’s suit against acting Penang Gerakan Youth chief settled

GEORGE TOWN: The Consortium Zenith BUCG Sdn Bhd’s defamation suit against acting Penang Gerakan Youth chief Jason Loo Jieh Sheng over the undersea tunnel and three highway projects in the state was settled yesterday.

The settlement of the case was recorded before High Court Judge Datuk Rosilah Yop.

Loo, when contacted, said the case was solved amicably as they had reached an amicable solution.

“In my statement at the press conference in 2016, I was referring to the Penang state government and not the plaintiff (Consortium Zenith BUCG Sdn Bhd),” he said.

Consortium Zenith, the company entrusted to build the undersea tunnel, filed the suit on Aug 8, 2016, claiming that Loo, as the defendant, had uttered defamatory words against the company during the press conference, which were published in the Malaysiakini news portal on the same day.

The company claimed that Loo had also questioned its credibility, besides implying that the company could not be trusted, dishonest, liar, and involved in corruption.

The consortium, which claimed its reputation was tarnished by the statements, sought general, exemplary and aggravated damages, as well as interest, costs and other relief deemed fit by the court.

It also sought an injunction to prevent Loo or his employees from republishing such defamatory words, besides demanding an apology from the defendant.