Chieng Jen to work with father on ‘black hole’ case
KUCHING: The ‘black hole’ court case involving the Sarawak government and Democratic Action Party ( DAP) Sarawak chairman Chong Chieng Jen, which commenced trial yesterday saw the inaugural teamwork between Chieng Jen and his father Siew Chiang.
Speaking to the press outside the courthouse, Chieng Jen said he would apply to the court for him to act in-person as well. His application to act in-person was later granted by the court.
“This is the first case (that) I will be working with my father (his counsel). He will be on the legal aspects and I will be in charge of the facts.
“It’s the first father and son team on a case, which will see a seven-day trial, today (yesterday), tomorrow (today) and next week,” he said prior to the court proceedings.
Tanjong Batu assemblyman Chiew Chin Sing, Pending assemblywoman Violet Yong and Bandar Kuching MP Dr Kelvin Yii were among those with him outside the courthouse
Chieng Jen, who is Stampin MP and Kota Sentosa assemblyman, said the ‘ black hole’ case was started by the state government seven years ago.
“The case was filed in 2013. It involves RM11 billion of funds allocated and approved by the state government for ‘Government Contribution Towards Approved Agencies
Trust Fund’.”
In 2013, Chieng Jen used the term ‘black hole’ to insinuate that the RM11 billion had gone missing from the state coffer.
His allegation was published in a Chinese national daily, a news portal, and in pamphlets distributed by Chieng Jen and DAP Sarawak, and also published in the Rocket, Malaysiakini and
Sin Chew Daily on Jan 3, 2013.
Because of this, the state government and the State Financial Authority (SFA) filed a defamation suit against Chieng Jen at the High Court here.
On Dec 18 last year, the High Court rejected Chieng Jen’s application to get the state government to disclose documents in relation to projects
funded by a certain RM11 billion budget.
In dismissing the application, Judicial Commissioner Alexander Siew said he agreed with the government’s arguments that the documents, even if they existed, were irrelevant to the defamation case against Chieng Jen and not to be produced at the trial.