Penang High Court dismisses defamation suit against Teh

GEORGE TOWN: The Penang High Court today dismissed a housing developer's defamation suit against Tanjung Bungah assemblyman Teh Yee Cheu over remarks he made on the illegal hill clearing of Bukit Relau.
Justice Hadhariah Syed Ismail said Teh's suggestions that provisions under the National Forestry Act 1984 and the Environmental Quality Act 1974 be looked at in the case against General Accomplishment Sdn Bhd (GASB) is not defamatory in nature.
She also ordered GASB to pay RM30,000 in costs to Teh.
GASB and Tan Sri Tan Kok Ping had jointly filed a writ of summons against Teh for allegedly issuing slanderous statements to the media during the latter's "hair shaving ceremony" on Jan 1, 2014 as a symbolic protest against what he termed as insufficient action against the developer over the illegal hill clearing of Bukit Relau.
Teh, who is well-known for championing environmental issues since becoming an assemblyman in 2008, was disappointed with the condition of the "bald" part of the hill, which can be seen from as far as the Penang Bridge.
In July, 2013, GASB was fined RM30,000 for carrying out illegal earthworks without written permission from the authorities between Apr 24 and May 8, 2013.
In the suit filed in May 2014, GASB contended that Teh had maliciously issued statements to create a falsified perception of the company.