In a compelling legal battle unfolding in the High Court, DAP chairman Lim Guan Eng has asserted that he was the primary target of a defamatory speech delivered by Kepala Batas MP Siti Mastura Muhammad. Guan Eng contends that Mastura's speech, made last year, contained false claims linking his family to the late Communist Party of Malaya leader, Chin Peng. This case is part of a broader defamation suit also involving Guan Eng’s father, DAP veteran Lim Kit Siang, and Seputeh MP Teresa Kok.
During today’s court session in George Town, Guan Eng highlighted that Mastura’s speech repeatedly referenced him—seven times in total—indicating that he was the focal point of her allegations. In addition to the accusations against him, Mastura allegedly associated his father with the late Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew, further compounding the defamatory nature of her remarks.
The issue at hand is particularly sensitive given the political context in Malaysia, where communism is a highly contentious topic. Guan Eng argued that Mastura's statements implied a sinister plot involving the Chinese communities in Malaysia and Singapore, suggesting they were secretly working to control both nations.
The defense, led by lawyer Yusfarizal Yussoff, contended that Mastura’s speech was initially delivered at a private PAS women’s wing event in Kemaman and was not intended for public dissemination. However, Guan Eng countered that the speech’s subsequent appearance on TikTok indicated Mastura’s approval for its broader distribution. This, he argued, reflected a deliberate intent to spread her remarks beyond the private setting.
The defamation suits were originally filed separately by Guan Eng, Kit Siang, and Kok in November of the previous year but have since been combined into a single trial. The suits claim that Mastura's allegations—which include suggesting a family connection between Guan Eng and Chin Peng, as well as between Kit Siang and Lee Kuan Yew—are baseless and harmful.
Mastura defended her remarks by asserting that they were based on information from a book published by the Barisan Nasional communications department, used as campaign material during the 15th general election. She also claimed that her assertions about Kok being related to Guan Eng’s wife, Betty Chew, were sourced from this publication.
During the proceedings, Guan Eng also clarified the significance of Chinese surnames and family lineages, as requested by the defense. He emphasized that while some might dismiss the Chin Peng connection as absurd, others, particularly those in rural areas with limited access to information, might believe such claims.
Guan Eng noted that he had not filed a police report regarding the book, as Mastura had already presented it to the authorities when providing her statement. He expressed skepticism about the credibility of the book and questioned why PAS would rely on a publication purportedly from Umno but not openly acknowledged by Barisan Nasional.
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