JC Fong’s defamation suit to go for full trial July 19

KUCHING: The trial for the defamation suit by state legal counsel Dato Sri JC Fong against Sarawak DAP chairman Chong Chieng Jen has been fixed on July 19.

Sessions Court Judge Timothy Finlayson Joel who fixed the trial date yesterday informed the court that the case would be heard before Judge Marutin Pagan.

Timothy said that the case would go for a full trial before the court.

Earlier,in his statement of claim, Fong denied saying Malaysia Agreement 1963 and the 1962 InterGovernmental Committee Report ( IGC Report) had no legal force when making a case submission in the Federal Court last year, as alleged by Chong.

Chong, in a statement published following a press conference, said that Fong had made the written submission on Aug 15 last year in an application for review by Keruntum Sdn Bhd in the court proceeding in which he ( Fong) was representing the state government.

Fong had ordered Chong to retract his statement, which was published in the local media, and to make a public apology, but the latter refused.

Fong and Chong were not present in court yesterday but were both represented by their counsels.