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GEORGE TOWN: Former Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng told the High Court here that the social media post by Perak PAS Commissioner Razman Zakaria hinted that Lim was disrespectful of Islam.
Lim said this at a defamation lawsuit hearing before Judge Amarjeet Singh that such a risk should not be taken when it may lead to racial problems in the state and the country.
“It could have gotten out of control, there was a possibility that it would go viral and become a big problem when I didn’t make those statements.
“Even the press knew that they should not report it because they knew the statements were false and did not report them. Otherwise, they would also have filed a lawsuit against them,” he said during questioning of defense attorney Mohd Harris Abdullah.
Harris then asked Lim if his client Razman’s post had caused racial tension in the state and country.
Lim said his lawyers nipped him in the bud when he said he would file a legal claim.
“It could have gone viral, even the comments on the post questioned whether he (Razman) was inviting legal action.
Citing his written witness statement, Lim said that Razman, as a seasoned politician who held high office in his party, would have known the serious consequences that can arise from such a defamatory statement.
“I find it incomprehensible that he (Razman) published the post without seeking my comments or clarifications to verify whether the statement was true, despite the fact that there are articles online in which I clearly express my objections to the policy of banning Muslim female employees. of hotels wear veils at the reception, “he said.
During the re-examination by Lim’s attorney, Datuk N. Mureli asked Lim if the entire social media post was false and Lim replied that it was a hint and Razman posted it and linked it to Lim, citing that there would be consequences if it was true that Lim supported the ban.
On January 22, 2018, Lim filed a lawsuit against Razman for uploading a false image to his social media account (Razman) and posting a statement showing elements of defamation, which were false and malicious against Lim on November 18, 2017. .
In his claim statement, Lim said that the words used in Razman’s post were that he (Razman) prayed that the photo was not true and that if it was true that Lim supported the ban on the wearing of headscarves, he would have consequences.
Razman stated in his post that it was true that Lim supported the ban, saying that “the veiling ban was a right of hotel operators, and that Penang fully supported it.”
The publication also said that Penang supported the ban.
Lim claimed that the post was referring to both him and the photo.
Lim seeks, among others, general and exemplary damages, an apology for the publication and other relief that the court deems appropriate, in addition to applying an order to prevent the defendant from republishing the same publication on any platform.
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