GEORGE TOWN: Kepala Batas Member of Parliament (MP) Dr Siti Mastura Muhammad has settled the payment of RM830,034.75 in damages and legal costs (including interest) to three DAP stalwarts.
The payment was made following a High Court ruling that she defamed the trio, namely Tan Sri Lim Kit Siang, Lim Guan Eng and Teresa Kok, claiming they were related to the late Communist Party of Malaya leader Chin Peng while campaigning in the Kemaman by-election in 2023.
The payment was made to the law firm representing them yesterday.
The Penang High Court had fixed today to decide if Siti Mastura could delay paying damages to DAP veteran Tan Sri Lim Kit Siang, his son, Guan Eng, and Seputeh MP Teresa Kok.
Addressing journalists via a Zoom call this morning, Siti Mastura’s lawyer Yusfarizal Yussoff said the matter was supposed to be called in chambers because there was a development that he needed to inform the judge.
“But, I would like to inform and I think that Datuk SN Nair (the DAP trio’s lawyer) can concur and confirm that some sort of arrangement has been made.
“The defendant, Dr Siti Mastura has already made a payment to (Datuk) Nair’s firm’s account of the judgment sum on the condition that the money will be kept in the solicitor’s account pending disposal of the appeal in the Court of Appeal, so this is the arrangement agreed by both parties,” he said
Nair then confirmed that they had received a cheque late last night and the amount is inclusive of the interest as of today.
“As of today, it is RM830,034.75. Although the cheque, of course, is subject to clearance, I believe the party is good for its cheque and we can accept it.
“My clients are happy. We can accept it and with this, we will have this arrangement recorded. With this, we will issue the necessary undertakings and proceed thereof,” he said.
Yusfarizal later said the notice of appeal has been filed and the Court of Appeal has fixed March 13 for hearing and that the matter was now in case management stage.
On last Dec 4, the Penang High Court ordered Siti Mastura to pay RM750,000 in total to th DAP trio over her claims that they were related to the late Communist Party of Malaya leader Chin Peng.
The court ordered Siti Mastura to pay RM300,000, RM250,000 and RM200,000 respectively to Kit Siang, Guan Eng and Teresa besides imposing five per cent annual interest if Siti Mastura fails to pay the amounts and also ordered her to pay costs of RM25,000 each to them.
In November 2023, the three DAP leaders filed a defamation suit against Siti Mastura over her claims that they were related to Chin Peng and former Singapore Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew. She allegedly made the claims in her speech during the Kemaman by-election campaign.
