PETALING JAYA: Following the retraction of two DAP politicians' appeal, Datin Paduka Chew Mei Fun says she will donate the court-ordered damages to a hospital.
"Since initiating this suit five years ago and after receiving notice that Tony Pua and Yeo Bee Yin have decided to withdraw their appeal, I am relieved. The High Court’s ruling on Nov 30 last year therefore remains in place.
"After deducting the costs involved in the case and litigation, the balance RM258,000 from the court-ordered damages will be donated to the Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman (UTAR) Hospital," said the former MCA secretary-general in a statement on Wednesday (Oct 11).
Chew once again emphasised that she had never been part of the District Land Committee (JTK), despite being accused of abuse of power for authorising the sale of land for her party below market prices.
"In fact, as an MP, I had never been a member of the JTK. In other words, the approval and conversion of any land had nothing to do with me as the MP at the alleged time of the incident.
"Neither have I ever submitted any application for land.
"I hope that this case will serve as a reference for all politicians to ensure that all information is factual before commenting or making allegations.
"This case also proves that while justice may have been delayed, justice will eventually be served," she said.
Earlier on Wednesday the Court of Appeal's three-member bench comprising Justices Datuk Supang Lian, Datuk Hashim Hamzah and Datuk Wong Kian Kheong had subsequently struck out the appeal by the DAP leaders along with Chew’s cross-appeal with no order to costs.
On Nov 30 last year, the Shah Alam High Court ordered Pua, who is a former Damansara MP, to pay RM200,000 and Yeo, who is a former energy, science, technology, environment and climate change minister, to pay RM150,000 in general and aggravated damages to Chew after finding them liable for defaming her.
In March 2018, Chew filed a defamation suit against Pua and Yeo over allegations that she had approved the sale of a piece of land to Selangor MCA below its market price.
Yeo also made a statement on the issue in a Facebook video where she said the land was used for dragon fruit farming. Both Pua and Yeo made the statements in 2017.
