Guan Eng wins defamation suit against RPK over Penang undersea tunnel issue

KUALA LUMPUR: Former Penang chief minister Lim Guan Eng has won a defamation suit against blogger Raja Petra Kamarudin over the latter's articles on allegations of corruption in an undersea tunnel project by the state government.

Lim's lawyer Kok Yuen Lin told the press that High Court judge Justice Rohani Ismail granted Lim a judgment in default against Raja Petra as the blogger, who is also known as RPK, did not contest the suit.

"The court will assess the quantum of damages later," she said.

The proceedings took place in the judge's chambers here on Friday (Feb 28).

On Sept 6 last year, Lim filed the suit for damages, a front-page apology, and an injunction to prevent Raja Petra from repeating his allegations, which were contained in a series of articles entitled "From the MACC Files".

The contentious articles were published on Raja Petra's Malaysia Today website in February and March 2019.

Raja Petra alleged that there had been "criminal collaboration" between the Attorney General's Chambers, the MACC and Pakatan Harapan leaders to cover up corruption involving the Penang undersea tunnel.

He further alleged that bribes had been paid to Lim and other Pakatan leaders.

In a statement of claim, Lim sought exemplary damages on the grounds that Raja Petra had profited from a huge volume of readership on all the articles.

The former finance minister attempted to serve the writ and statement of claim to Raja Petra by personal service at his last known address obtained from the National Registration Department and the Election Commission.

Lim applied to the court for substitute service where he placed a notice of the suit in three newspapers after an unsuccessful attempt to serve Raja Petra.

The blogger failed to respond to the notice by Feb 10 to contest the suit, and Lim subsequently filed for a judgment in default.