Dr Ting plans to sue Speaker, Soon Koh

KUCHING: A DAP member Dr Ting Tiong Choon is planning to sue the State Legislative Assembly (DUN) Speaker Datuk Amar Mohd Asfia Awang Nassar for disqualifying him as a member of the august House on May 12.

The former Pujut assemblyman also plans to sue Second Finance Minister Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh, if within seven days, the latter fails to publicly apologise to him (Dr Ting) for calling him a bankrupt during a press conference held at the DUN media centre on May 15.

Dr Ting’s lawyer Wong King Wei, who is also state DAP Youth chairman, revealed this at a press conference held at his Jalan Tun Jugah legal firm yesterday.

King Wei said for Asfia’s case, the details were still being finalised before the legal firms involved call for a proper press conference.

They will be seeking a court declaration to reverse the decision of the DUN.

On Soon Koh’s case, King Wei disclosed that Dr Ting would prefer a gentlemanly way to settle the matter by asking Wong to apologise to him in public without having to pay any compensation but this condition is only applicable within the seven days’ grace period.

Dr Ting reserves his right to seek for all damages allowed by the law from Soon Koh if legal action in the form of defamation suit is to be taken after the grace period expires.

King Wei claimed there was nothing in the documents shown by Soon Koh to state that Dr Ting was made a bankrupt in Australia, while explaining the differences between the terms ‘insolvent’ and ‘bankrupt’.

He said a person is insolvent if his debt is more than his assets and a bankrupt is one who has been declared by the court as being unable to or not allowed to manage his finances, or in other words, ‘financially dead’.

“I was instructed by my client (Dr Ting) to reiterate that he was not at any point of his life being made a bankrupt. The statement (by Soon Koh) was baseless and untrue,” he said.

The Election Commission has fixed July 4 for the Pujut by-election as the seat is now vacant following Dr Ting’s disqualification. The EC too fixed June 27 for nomination day.

In the May 7, 2016 state election, Dr Ting garnered 8,899 votes while direct Barisan Nasional’s (BN) andidate Datuk Hii King Chiong obtained 7,140 votes, PAS’ Jofri Jaree (413) and independent candidate Fong Pau Teck (375).