KUALA LUMPUR (Oct 19): Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow will be taking legal action against the Penang Chinese Chamber of Commerce's (PCCC) lifetime honorary president, Tan Sri Tan Kok Ping, for allegedly making defamatory statements against him.
The chief minister issued a statement on Thursday confirming the CM's intentions, which he would be taking in his official capacity, with the full backing of the Penang State Executive Council (MMK), which had unanimously decided that Chow should sue Tan for his statements “which humiliate and degrade” the chief minister.
Tan's allegations were issued at a press conference held by the PCCC on Wednesday, and it was widely reported by the press.
“Any legal action will be advised by a lawyer for further action,” said the CM's statement.
Along with the statement was a group photo of the MKK, with Chow holding up the Chinese daily, which quoted Tan making the alleged degrading statements.
Sin Chew Daily reported on Wednesday, quoting Tan, who said that Chow was “incompetent, ignorant, and shameless” in evading questions about the sale of a plot of industrial land in Batu Kawan.
Earlier this month, the PCCC raised the issue of the Penang Development Corporation’s decision to sell 558.96 acres (226.20 hectares) of land to Umech Construction Sdn Bhd, which the PCCC claims was sold at significantly under market value. The PCCC also questioned why the sale was not done through an open tender.
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