Suit against former MCA chief withdrawn

KUALA LUMPUR: Bintulu MP Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing has withdrawn his libel suit against former MCA president Tan Sri Ong Tee Keat over an article published in the New Sunday Times in 2009.

Ong’s lawyer Chan Tse Yuen said Tiong withdrew the suit after the reporter who wrote the article, Joseph Sipalan, stated in his testimony in court that he had never interviewed Ong.

Chan said High Court judge Datuk Lau Bee Lan was expected to announce her ruling today after hearing evidence from the plaintiff’s three witnesses, which included Ong.

However, he said during the case management in chambers yesterday, Tiong’s lawyer Prem Ramachandran said his client wished to withdraw the suit.

Chan said the court then struck out the plaintiff’s suit with no liberty to file a fresh suit and also ordered Tiong to pay RM40,000 in costs to Ong.

Tiong filed the defamation suit on Oct 12, 2009, naming the New Straits Times Press (NSTP) Berhad, its former group editor Datuk Syed Nadzri Syed Harun, Sipalan and Ong as defendants.

However, Tiong later withdrew his claims against NSTP, Syed Nadzri and Sipalan.

In his statement of claim, Tiong stated that Sipalan had written an article with the heading “Chua and Tiong in cahoots”.

Ong, who was present in court yesterday, said he was surprised the plaintiff had withdrawn the suit.

“After such a long legal hassle for eight years, it came as a surprise, but it is certainly a pleasant surprise. It is a present for the Chinese New Year,” Ong said. – Bernama