Three years after remarks allegedly made during a political forum, former finance minister Lim Guan Eng has initiated legal proceedings against Tajuddin Abdul Rahman. The move follows accusations that Tajuddin’s statements painted him as reckless in his duties and unfit to hold public office.
The writ, filed through Messrs Guok Partnership at the High Court registry, outlines Lim’s position that Tajuddin had damaged his reputation by suggesting he marginalised the Malay community while heading the finance ministry. The controversial remark, delivered at a Sinar Harian forum on October 18, 2022, was said to have described the ministry as being turned into a “Chinese temple” under Lim’s leadership. The event had been part of a discussion ahead of the 15th general election.
Lim, who now serves as DAP adviser, contends that the remark implied he abused his ministerial role, particularly by allegedly removing Malay civil servants during the Pakatan Harapan administration from May 2018 to February 2020. He further argued that the statement created a false impression that the finance ministry had been physically altered to resemble a place of worship, which he dismissed as baseless.
According to the claim, the remarks did not remain confined to the forum but quickly spread across social media platforms, online news portals and traditional print outlets. Lim maintains that this wide circulation magnified the damage, casting doubts over his credibility and diminishing his public standing. The suit argues that his reputation, both as a former minister and as a long-serving DAP leader, suffered substantial harm as a result.
The legal action seeks several remedies, including a full retraction of the remarks, a public apology to be carried on Tajuddin’s online platforms as well as in newspapers and news portals, and damages to be assessed by the court. An injunction is also being requested to prevent any repetition of similar defamatory allegations in the future.
Lim had initially responded to the controversy shortly after the forum in October 2022, making it known that legal action was being considered. At the time, he had said his legal team would handle the matter. With the case now formally lodged, the dispute has entered a new phase, bringing back into focus one of the more heated political exchanges of recent years.
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