By Lian Cheng
KUCHING, Nov 18: Padungan assemblyman and former Sarawak Democratic Party (DAP) vice-president Wong King Wei claims that the alleged defamatory statement made by the opposition party’s Michael Kong against businessman Dato Richard Wee was instigated by Sarawak DAP chief Chong Chieng Jen.
In a Kuching High Court trial session which was held via Zoom today, Wong who resigned from DAP on July 26, 2020 said after years in Sarawak DAP, he could sense that Kong’s statement was definitely instigated Chong.
“The ground for such belief is that Mr Chong Chieng Jen had put an impression within the party which I knew it as a fact that Mr Chong Chieng Jen was speculating that the plaintiff (Wee) will be one of the candidates for SUPP (Sarawak United Peoples’ Party), the rival party of DAP, in the coming State election.
“It is the modus operandi of Mr Chong Chieng Jen as a leader of the party to launch a personal attack, to run a person down if Mr Chong Chieng Jen finds that person may be a political rival to him or to DAP.
“There was never such attack launched against the plaintiff (anytime) before when the plaintiff was quite supportive of DAP.
“In fact, at one time, Mr Chong Chieng Jen ever approached the plaintiff with intention to nominate the plaintiff as a DAP candidate for Senator in the election held in Sarawak State Assembly,” said Wong when testifying in the defamatory case filed by Wee who is Sarawak Federation of Chinese Associations president against Kong, who is a special assistant to Chong, in the Kuching High Court today.
Wong said none of the DAP leaders or members had ever launched a personal attack against Wee when the latter supported and made financial donations to DAP before.
“Therefore what was launched to attack the plaintiff in the defendant’s Facebook post is definitely with ill intention and malice intention purely (done) on the reasons that Mr Chong Chieng Jen had put the impression within the party that the plaintiff will be one of the candidates for SUPP.
“This is very bad and as part of DAP at that material time, I felt ashamed,” said Wong.
Wee filed a defamation suit against Kong over an alleged defamatory statement on social media which stated “Before Dato Richard Wee purports to speak on behalf of the Chinese community in support of the GPS, he should declare his personal and business interest with the current GPS government particularly Parti Pesaka Bumiputra Bersatu (PBB)”, which was authored and published by Kong on July 21, 2020 on his Facebook page.
Wee was represented by counsels Shankar Ram Asnani, Russell Lim and Yu Ying Ying. Kong is represented by Chong and Sim Kiat Leng. — DayakDaily
