GEORGE TOWN (Bernama): The High Court here Monday (Dec 9) postponed to Feb 21 next year the hearing of a defamation suit filed by Baling MP Datuk Seri Abdul Azeez Abdul Rahim against former Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng in connection with an undersea tunnel construction project. Judge Datuk Rosilah Yop set the date in chambers following an application by lawyer Felix Lim, representing Lim, for a new hearing date, as his client could not attend Monday’s hearing as he had to attend to other urgent matters. The court had set Monday to continue to hear the case, where Lim was supposed to testify. Abdul Azeez filed the suit in March last year, claiming that Lim, who is currently the Finance Minister, had issued defamatory statements during a press conference at the Chief Minister's office on Feb 28,2018, and during a Chinese New Year open house hosted by the Penang Development Corporation on the same day, connecting him with a payment of RM3mil in consultation fees by the developer of the undersea tunnel project. He claimed the statements gained widespread coverage and were published in a number of websites, electronic news sites and local newspapers, and is seeking, among others, general and exemplary damages and other relief deemed fit by the court.

Source: The Star December 09, 2019 03:45 UTC