In a significant legal win for DAP Chairman Lim Guan Eng, the High Court ruled in his favor in a defamation suit against Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, the Perikatan Nasional Chairman.
Following the verdict, Lim called out the opposition, urging them to stop spreading unfounded accusations merely to score political points. "The court's judgment clearly stated that Muhyiddin's claims about me were false and without foundation," he emphasized outside the courthouse.
The case revolved around allegations that Lim, as Finance Minister, had revoked the tax exemption granted to Yayasan Al-Bukhary, a prominent Islamic charitable foundation. Muhyiddin’s accusations, which targeted Lim during his tenure from May 2018 to February 2020, stirred considerable controversy, casting a shadow on the former finance minister’s reputation in a multicultural Malaysia. Lim, however, countered this narrative, stating unequivocally that the revocation of Yayasan Al-Bukhary’s tax-exempt status occurred only during Muhyiddin’s own tenure as Prime Minister, not under his own administration.
Lim's call for accountability came on the heels of a clear court decision. Judicial Commissioner Roz Mawar Rozain ruled that Muhyiddin had engaged in reckless and harmful behavior by making unverified statements that painted Lim in a negative light, particularly within Malaysia's diverse ethnic landscape. The court awarded Lim RM1.35 million in damages, underscoring the severity of the defamation and the harm caused to his public image.
The court also highlighted the damaging racial and religious undertones in Muhyiddin’s remarks, which he intertwined with Yayasan Al-Bukhary’s charitable work in the Islamic community. This tactic, according to the ruling, added unnecessary divisive elements to the political discourse and further fueled public misunderstanding.
“Such accusations are extremely harmful in our multicultural society,” Lim asserted, underscoring the need for responsible and fact-based communication. He criticized Muhyiddin’s continued insistence on the accusation, even after repeated challenges to provide evidence. “I asked him to provide evidence, and he failed to do so,” Lim stated, expressing his frustration over the ongoing repetition of baseless allegations.
Prime Minister Dato' Seri Anwar Ibrahim, who has backed Lim’s account, previously confirmed that records from the Finance Ministry showed no indication that Lim ever revoked the foundation’s tax-exempt status during his tenure. Anwar’s statement lent further credibility to Lim’s stance and served as an official validation of the facts.
After the court's decision, Muhyiddin Yassin expressed disappointment with the outcome of the defamation suit filed by DAP Chairman Lim Guan Eng and announced his plan to appeal.
In a statement posted on Facebook, the Perikatan Nasional Chairman remarked, “While I respect the court's decision, I am very disappointed with the outcome.” He maintained that his statements were not defamatory and argued that the RM1.35 million awarded in damages was excessive.
Nevertheless, Muhyiddin confirmed that he would remove the relevant social media posts in compliance with the ruling, stating, “In compliance with the court's decision, I will be removing the postings that are the subject of this action from my Facebook and social media accounts.”
The High Court's ruling, delivered by Judicial Commissioner Roz Mawar Rozain, supported Lim’s claims, concluding that the former finance minister had successfully proven his case against the former Prime Minister. Lim’s lawsuit, filed on March 27, 2023, alleged that Muhyiddin had made three defamatory Facebook posts on March 9, 11, and 12, linking him to the revocation of Yayasan Al-Bukhary's tax exemption.
This legal victory in favour for the DAP Chairman has broader implications, as Lim has used it as an opportunity to warn politicians about the consequences of using deceit for political mileage.
The case underscores the importance of accountability and integrity in Malaysian politics, especially in a society as diverse as Malaysia, where unfounded accusations can have far-reaching consequences.
By: Kpost
Information Source: Nst , Malaymail
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