High Court to hear Ong's injunction application April 27

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 24 (Bernama) -- The High Court will hear on April 27 an application by Transport Minister Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat for an injunction to restrain Kuala Dimensi Sdn Bhd chief executive officer Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing from further making defamatory statements against him.

The application will be heard by Judicial Commissioner Dr Prasad Sandosham Abraham.

High Court Deputy Registrar Hartini Abdul Hamid fixed the date when the case came up for management today. Counsel Ronnie Tan represented Ong while Prem Ramachandran appeared for Tiong.

Ong filed a RM500 million defamation suit against Tiong, the Barisan Nasional Backbenchers Club (BNBBC) chairman, last year citing his position as a national and Barisan Nasional leader, MCA president and a Member of Parliament as reason for making the application.

He claimed that the alleged defamatory statement was maliciously published by Tiong to prevent a fair investigation into the abuse of Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ) funds and the role of Kuala Dimensi.

The statement was baseless, untrue, defamatory and had damaged his reputation, image and good name in the public eye, he said.

Ong filed the suit on Aug 24, 2009, claiming that Tiong, the Bintulu Member of Parliament, had made a defamatory statement that he had given Ong RM10 million, which statement was posted on the Malaysiakini website on Aug 12, 2009.

He wanted Tiong to withdraw the statement and apologise in all major newspapers.

The minister also sought special and exemplary damages and an injunction to restrain Tiong or his agents from further making defamatory statements against him.

Kuala Dimensi was the turnkey contractor for the PKFZ project which is being investigated by the Public Accounts Committee (PAC).