PUTRAJAYA: Kepong Member of Parliament Lim Lip Eng has been ordered to pay RM75,000 instead of the original RM2 million in damages for defaming MonSpace (M) Sdn Bhd and its founder Datuk Seri Jessy Lai Cha Suang.
A three-member Court of Appeal bench unanimously upheld the High Court’s finding that Lim had defamed both parties while reducing the damages award significantly.
Justice Datuk Collin Lawrence Sequerah, delivering the decision, stated that the RM2 million in damages imposed by the Kuala Lumpur High Court was excessive.
The court also reduced the costs awarded from RM250,000 to RM50,000.
Justice Sequerah said the panel agreed with the High Court judge’s finding that the impugned words were defamatory and had tarnished the reputation of MonSpace and Lai.
The judge noted that Lim’s statements were based on assumptions and alleged that Lai had bribed government officers to avoid enforcement action.
“The defendant (Lim) admitted that he did not seek clarification from the plaintiffs (MonSpace and Lai) prior to making those statements,“ said Justice Sequerah.
“He also failed to produce any documents to verify the truth.”
Justice Sequerah described the allegations as serious and harmful to the plaintiffs’ reputation.
The court found no reason to interfere with the High Court’s decision in allowing the plaintiffs’ suit.
On March 16, 2023, the High Court ordered Lim to pay RM2 million to the e-commerce company and Lai after ruling in favour of their defamation suit.
Lim filed his appeal on the same day.
In the suit filed in June 2019, Lai said Lim had claimed that she was running an illegal business and had cheated Chinese investors.
She stated that the MP’s statements, published in English and Chinese media, implied that she was a dishonest person.
Lai said Lim made the statements in May 2017 and November 2018 when he took a group of individuals, purportedly MonSpace’s investors, to her office and subsequently lodged police reports against her.
She claimed that Lim’s statements had pressured authorities including the police, Bank Negara Malaysia and the Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry to take action against her.
MonSpace and Lai were represented by counsels Ivanpal Singh Grewal and Dhanesh Subramaniam Nair.
Lim was represented by Datuk Sankara Nair. – Bernama
