Court strikes out libel suit against The Star's CEO

Wong (left) with his lawyer Yee Mei Ken.

SHAH ALAM: Columnist Datuk Seri Wong Chun Wai, an advocate for moderation, has succeeded in striking out a libel suit by Datuk Ibrahim Ali in relation to the Perkasa chief’s call to burn bibles.

Wong had said that he was merely making an honest comment.

In his application, the Star Publications (M) Bhd group managing director and chief executive officer said the case was unsustainable as the defences of justification, fair comment and/or qualified privilege were bound to succeed.

The court held on Monday that Wong, who is also Star Publications (M) Bhd group managing director and chief executive officer, had written the disputed article without malice and that its words are true and justified.

The court said that Wong, a former group chief editor of The Star, had a journalistic duty to publish a commentary on a matter of public importance and fundamental liberties.

It said Ibrahim’s suit was obviously unsustainable as it had failed to establish a reasonable claim against Wong and Star Publications (M) Bhd.

Ibrahim had filed his libel suit based on an article titled “A mind-boggling spin”, published in The Star on Nov 2 last year.

In allowing the striking out application, Judicial Commissioner M. Gunalan said that the article written by Wong was incapable of conveying any defamatory meaning.

JC Gunalan added that the article did not carry any imputation of religious extremism.

He said that a “reasonable” reader would understand the main content of the article was the writer’s legitimate criticism and comments of the Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC) decision of not prosecuting Ibrahim for calling for the burning of the Holy Bible that such an action had not breached the sedition laws despite the fact that the AGC had recently prosecuted many other reputable and renowned individuals for sedition.

In January last year, Ibrahim had called for the burning of Bibles, following reports that certain parties had distributed Malay-language Bibles containing the word “Allah” to students, including Muslims, at SMK Jelutong in Penang.

The court did not make an order with regard to costs as Wong had said that he would not seek costs from the plaintiff.

Wong said he was glad that the case had been dismissed.

“I am glad that the case has been dismissed and will not go to trial. It is good for all parties that we can move on to more important matters. I forgive him. As a Christian, it is important that I forgive him. I hope he ends it here and not appeal. Let’s move on,” he said.

“This has been an unfortunate legal battle but more important to me is my belief that this decision will remind all of us who call this land our home that we need to understand and respect each other’s faiths.

“We must not do or say things that will upset others. After all, we are thankful to be living in a country where the first principle of our national creed, the Rukun Negara, is our belief in God,” Wong added.

In his civil suit dated Dec 26 last year, Ibrahim, had named Wong and Star Publications (M) Bhd as defendants.

Speaking to reporters here, Star Publications’ lead counsel Yee Mei Ken said that the court found that Wong had relied on public views expressed by prominent persons, including a reputable former Court of Appeal judge and a former head of prosecution of AGC.

“Therefore, the judge said the plaintiff’s claim of libel is misconceived.

“The judge said that there was a reference made to Ibrahim in the article which cannot be denied but the article is against the AGC’s decision and not against the plaintiff (Ibrahim). The judge agrees that the article must be read as a whole and how a reasonable person should understand it,” said Yee.

On the defence of justification, Yee said that the court found that Wong and Star Publications had proven substantively of the truth of the article as required under Section 8 of the Defamation Act.

Ibrahim’s lawyer Izyan Anis Musanif confirmed to the media that the suit had been struck out.

When contacted by The Star later, Ibrahim said he would appeal against the court ruling.

Ibrahim’s lead counsel Adnan Seman added that he had been instructed to file the appeal papers immediately.