The Malaysian Insight

FORMER Seberang Prai municipal councillor today withdrew his defamation suit against two of his former colleagues, who are now Penang assemblymen. 

Northern Indian Congress (NIC) president G. Rajasegar filed the defamation suit against Jawi assemblyman Jason H’ng Mooi Lye and Sungai Bakap assemblyman Dr Amar Pritpal Abdullah in February last year. 

The suit was over a message in a WhatsApp chat group named “AM & HOD MPSP” in May 2017, which Rajasegar said tarnished his and NIC’s reputation and dignity. 

In the statement of claim, Rajasegar said H’ng accused him of abusing his power as a former MPSP councillor while Amar claimed that NIC was a money-making civil society organisation.

At the time, H’ng and Amar were MPSP councillors before they won the 14th general election on May 9. Amar is also deputy state assembly speaker now. 

This morning, the plaintiffs’ lawyer K. Mahendra informed the Penang High Court, presided by Hadhariah Syed Ismail, that Rajasegar and NIC have withdrawn their suits against H’ng and Amar. 

He also said his clients apologised to both assemblymen for filing the suit. 

Hadhariah then said the suit was now cancelled without the liberty to be re-filed and both plaintiffs are to pay each defendant RM5,000 in legal cost. 

Outside the courtroom, H’ng’s and Amar’s respective lawyers, R.S.N. Rayer and Jason Ong, said the suit was withdrawn because the so-called defamatory messages were posted in a private WhatsApp chat group. 

“The group is an internal chat group for MPSP councillors and department heads. What discussed was private. 

“Somehow the chat was leaked and the suit was filed based on that,” Ong said. – January 2, 2019.