Guan Eng says preacher took remarks out of context in defamation dispute

Former Penang chief minister Lim Guan Eng has rejected preacher Firdaus Wong’s defamation claim, arguing that his remarks about the preacher were made in response to Wong’s own provocative social media comments.

In a response to Wong’s letter of demand, Lim’s lawyers said the DAP adviser’s June 24 Facebook video had been taken out of context and that Wong had selectively quoted and inaccurately translated portions of the Mandarin-language recording.

The dispute reportedly began after Lim published a Facebook post on June 15 promoting an annual pork-selling event in Butterworth in conjunction with the Dragon Boat Festival.

Wong mocked the post, allegedly suggesting that DAP establish a non-Muslim religious affairs bureau and making sarcastic remarks about the party organising a pork-selling programme.

In the defence filed by legal firm Guok Partnership last week, Lim’s lawyers said their client was entitled to respond to Wong’s comments, which they viewed as having racial and religious overtones.

They maintained that Lim’s video should be considered in its entirety rather than through isolated extracts, arguing that Wong had misrepresented its intended meaning.

Lim denies defaming Wong and has rejected his demands for an open apology and RM5 million in damages.

His legal team has indicated that it will rely on the defences of justification, fair comment and qualified privilege should the matter proceed to trial.

Wong filed a defamation suit against Lim at the Penang High Court, claiming the former chief minister portrayed him as an intolerant religious extremist seeking to undermine the freedoms and rights of non-Muslims.

In his statement of claim, Wong alleged that the remarks were malicious and intended to incite hatred against him among the non-Muslim community.

He is seeking general, aggravated and exemplary damages, as well as an injunction against Lim.