SHAH ALAM (Jan 5): Former finance minister Lim Guan Eng told the High Court that no formal application had been submitted by then-housing and local government minister Datuk Zuraida Kamaruddin for the construction of a low-cost housing project (PPR) in Bestari Jaya, Selangor.

Lim, 65, is testifying in his defamation suit against Zuraida and news portal MNow Media Sdn Bhd that operates the MalaysiaNow portal.

He added that Zuraida’s statement, which had been made during the Kuala Kubu Baru by-election last year, was defamatory in alleging that he, as the then-finance minister, had not approved the budget for the construction of more than 200 units of low-cost housing — a statement that is patently untrue or otherwise slanderous and/or libellous, false, and disparaging of him.

“It insinuated falsehood, which were uttered and/or published and/or republished and/or caused to be published and/or caused to be republished by the defendants in specific and direct reference to me, as a person or my office and profession (Section 5 Defamation Act 1957 is invoked).

“The oral statements (by Zuraida) have also been published and/or republished by the defendants in a MalaysiaKini article titled 'PSM terkejut Zuraida dakwa Guan Eng tolak peruntukan 5 estet' dated May 10, 2024. An English version titled 'PSM wants Guan Eng to explain "refusing allocation" charge' was also published by MalaysiaKini that same day,” he added.

He was testifying in response to questions from his counsel Datuk N Sankara Nair before Judicial Commissioner DR Shoba Rajah.

Cross-examined by Zuraida’s counsel Nizamuddin Abdul Hamid, who claimed Zuraida and her then-ministry had brought up the matter before Lim in October 2018, when they were part of the Pakatan Harapan government, and again in March 2019, and on both occasions, claim that he had disapproved it, Lim has denied such a notion. 

“If there was any meeting or discussion, there must be a formal or written application or document. However, there was none.

“How can Zuraida claim I disapproved of the proposal when there was no formal application?” the DAP adviser said.

Lim said the Finance Ministry had approved a budget of RM10 billion for the Housing and Local Government Ministry, and reiterated that such a proposal for the construction of a much-needed low-cost house in Bestari Jaya had not been formally submitted to him.

The former finance minister also denied seeing a purported WhatsApp exchange between Zuraida and him with regard to the project but acknowledged that the WhatsApp exchange contained his (Lim’s) number.

Former Petaling Jaya Utara member of Parliament Tony Pua Kiam Wee, who also testified in the trial, also verified that there was no formal application by Zuraida or her ministry over this.

This was despite Pua, who was Lim’s political secretary at that time but has now retired politically, claiming that he never attended any of the meetings in October 2018 or March 2019.

Pua acknowledged that he may not have attended every inter-ministerial meeting but said that there has to be a formal written application to the ministry.

“That is how the ministry and government works. There must be a written application from the Housing and Local Government Ministry officers to the Finance Ministry for it (a matter) to be brought up to Lim. There is no written application, and hence how can she claim that Lim did not approve?” Pua added.

The former DAP national publicity secretary said that normally all proposals to the Finance Ministry would have to go through him, and he claimed that there was nothing from Zuraida and her ministry with regard to the project.

However, Pua acknowledged that there could have been informal meetings held.

The purported Bestari Jaya low-cost housing project was approved by the then-BN government under then-prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak in 2018. However, as there was no surat setuju terima (approval letter), the subsequent government under PH decided to review all such projects, which Lim said should have been forwarded by Zuraida.

The trial continues on Tuesday before Shoba Rajah, with Zuraida expected to take the stand.

Lim filed the defamation suit last year, claiming that the words alleged by his former Cabinet colleague meant that he was a racist, aiming to disrupt harmony, stir up tension among the races in this country and incite racial conflict, was non-transparent, dishonest, inhumane and an elected representative who disregards the welfare and suffering of Kuala Kubu Baru residents.

The Bagan Member of Parliament and Air Putih assemblyman also claimed that the words uttered by Zuraida and published at the news portal had affected his international reputation as a veteran politician of grit and integrity who has always undertaken his duty to the best of his abilities for the importance of the country.