GEORGE TOWN: Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng disagreed that there was no malice in an English daily’s online article which quoted an individual alleging that Guan Eng had sent thugs to intimidate a group of people over a year ago, the Penang High Court heard yesterday. When cross-examined by lawyer Leong Wai Hong, lead counsel for The New Straits Times Press (Malaysia) Bhd (NST) and its journalist Predeep Nambiar, Guan Eng disagreed that the defendants only reported what was said by the individual, N Ganeson, in a press conference.

Guan Eng  was testifying in the defamation suit brought by him and Deputy Chief Minister II Dr P Ramasamy against NST and Predeep over a report titled “Indian interest group claims thugs interrupted meeting”.

The article, which appeared on NST’s web portal on Dec 4, 2013, was based on a press conference held earlier that day by Concerned Citizens of the Indian Community spokesman Ganesan to highlight a police report he lodged on Dec 3.

The article quoted Ganesan as saying that a few “thugs” had interrupted the group’s meeting on Nov 30, 2013, to stop them from sending a petition on Indian crematoriums.

In the article, Ganesan was quoted as saying: “Based on what was said by these thugs, we believe these thugs were sent in by Chief Minister Lim and his deputy P Ramasamy.” Ganesan had lodged a police report on the incident, followed by the press conference.

Guan Eng earlier told the court that the report by NST was not accurate as it used the word “concluded” in the allegation that he sent thugs.

“The words ‘concluded’ and ‘believed’ have different meanings. A ‘conclusion’ is definite,” he said when going through the transcripts of Ganeson’s press conference and the NST report.

When asked whether the NST article had used the words “claims”, “claimed” and “claiming”, Guan Eng answered yes.

But he disagreed that the report was not defamatory.

Guan Eng was also asked about a press conference he gave on the same day, when reporters, including NST reporter Balvin Kaur, asked him to comment on Ganeson’s claim.

Guan Eng said he had told the reporters to ask Ramasamy, who knew the issue better.

Leong then asked Guan Eng: “Looking at your answer and the manner you answered, you said ‘They always mention my name. Everything in Penang, they will mention my name. Is that anything new?’

“You already dismissed the allegation... do you agree?”

Guan Eng said he disagreed.

When questioned by his lawyer Datuk N Murali, Guan Eng said that he was not aware of the NST’s online story before he gave a press conference that day. Murali also asked Guan Eng why he kept silent when Balvin said to him at the press conference that both he and Ramasamy were mentioned by Ganeson.

“I had said repeatedly that the reporters should refer the matter to Ramasamy. I said that twice. I wanted to proceed with the press conference. I would have been repeating the same answer again.

“The issue was also related to Hindus and I am not a Hindu,” he said.

Murali also asked Guan Eng to compare the NST report with the Malaysiakini story.

He said Malaysiakini used the word “allegedly”, which was not present in the NST report, and published the comments by Ramasamy.

Judicial commissioner Datuk Azmi Ariffin fixed May 5 and 6 to continue the hearing. — The Malaysian Insider

This article first appeared in The Edge Financial Daily, on January 30, 2015.