A Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court has found Malay daily Berita Harian guilty of defaming two Perak DAP MPs in a story which alleged the latter were involved in a dodgy land deal.

(From left to right) Lawyer Karen Lee, Ngeh Koo Ham, Nga Kor Ming and lawyer Dennis Goh.

Taiping MP Nga Kor Ming and Beruas MP Ngeh Koo Ham were awarded RM150,000 in damages and costs by the court, which found the story ‘Hutan Sungai Relai gondol, Penduduk kesal tanah Kelantan diberi kepada pemimpin DAP’ (Sungai Relai Forest made bald. Residents unhappy Kelantan land given to DAP Leaders) defamatory towards the two.

The court ruled that the allegations made were false and malicious, that is:

> That Ngeh and Nga were given land by the Kelantan state government in exchange for allowing Bukit Gantang MP Mohd Nizar Jamaluddin to be made Mentri Besar of Perak in 2008

> That a company owned by the two were involved in logging activities at the Sengai Relai Forest Reserve

> That the said logging had caused pollution to the Sungai Relai river and had caused hardship to the surrounding residents.

The court also ruled that the facts presented by Ngeh and Nga were true and confirmed.

In a statement today, Ngeh said he was all for media freedom, but not freedom to spread falsehood.

“We would like to reiterate that we are for media freedom but not the freedom to spread falsehood. The spread of falsehood misleads the people and it is dangerous for the public to be misled.

“As elected representative and conscientious citizens, we felt duty bound to ensure our people are not misled by falsehood,” he said.

– The Rocket