KUCHING: Losing two court cases in a week will not weaken support for DAP, SAID Tourism, Arts AND Culture Minister Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman.
On the contrary, he said, many will sympathise with the state opposition party.
“But that does not worry (GPS) Gabungan Parti Sarawak. We just need to work harder on the ground to garner more support,” said Abdul Karim, who is also Youth and Sports Minister.
The minister was asked if the two losses (in the Federal Court) would affect DAP’s strength and popularity.
On Wednesday the Federal Court dismissed Sarawak DAP chairman’s application to review the apex court’s decision which allows the government to sue for defamation.
The review application by Chong was dismissed by the Federal Court review panel with cost of RM100,000.
In 2013, Chong who is Kota Sentosa assemblyman used the term “blackhole” to insinuate that some RM11 billion had gone missing from the state coffers. The allegation was published in a Chinese national daily, a news portal, and in pamphlets distributed by Chong and the DAP.
As a result, the Sarawak government and the State Financial Authority filed a defamation suit against him at the Kuching High Court.
Following the court decision, the defamation suit against Chong will be heard in the Kuching High Court on Feb 19.
Meanwhile, on Feb 11 DAP’s Dr Ting Tiong Choon was disqualified as assemblyman for Pujut when the Federal Court found that the State Legislative Assembly (DUN) has the power to disqualify Ting as a member for having dual citizenship despite him renouncing it before contesting in the last state election.
The decisions of the Court of Appeal and the Kuching High Court that reinstated Dr Ting as Pujut assemblyman were set aside in a seven to two majority decision.
