Lim suing Penang BN chairman over tunnel remarks
GEORGE TOWN: Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng is suing state Barisan Nasional chairman Teng Chang Yeow for his statements over the controversial undersea tunnel project.
Teng, who is also the state Gerakan chairman, said he received the writ of summons two to three days ago, and it has been fixed for case management on April 16 at the Penang High Court.
He, however, said he will continue to speak up on the undersea tunnel issue without touching on matters Lim has deemed defamatory.
“I will not stop because this is an issue related to the interest of Penangites. The Chief Minister’s action is clearly an abuse of the court process and to silence me from exposing more things on the undersea tunnel project,” he told reporters at the state Gerakan headquarters in Macalister Road yesterday.
Teng said he did not want to comment much on the case and asked all to refer to his press statement.
In the statement, he claimed that all the questions raised to Lim on the undersea tunnel project before the suit were based on official replies in the State Assembly and his press conferences.
“I lament the death of democracy and freedom of speech in Penang since DAP came into power in 2008.
“A record number of law suits has been initiated by Lim against his detractors.
“Legal suits by former chief ministers Tan Sri Wong Pow Nee, Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu and Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon against political opponents, newspapers, journalists and individuals were practically unheard of during their tenure,” he said.
Before starting his press conference, Teng, with the help of his party vice-chairman Lee Boon Ten and state committee member Albert Tan, taped his hands with a black masking tape, with the words “Undersea Tunnel Project, my hands are tied!” written on it.
“It is symbolic on how Lim is trying to ‘tie me up’,” he said.
Teng said Lim’s previous suit against him on Pulau Jerejak will also be heard at the Penang High Court on Wednesday.