THE spat between Sarawak government legal advisor JC Fong and Bandar Kuching MP Chong Chieng Jen over what was said of the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) in a recent Federal Court case looks set to be played out in court.

Fong said today he will sue the Sarawak DAP chairman for libel after Chong yesterday said he stood by the statement he made eight days ago.

Chong said Fong’s arguments in the MA63 and the 1962 Inter-Governmental Committee Report (IGC Report) had no legal force in his submission on a case in the Federal Court earlier this year.

Chong said there was no reason for Sarawak Chief Minister Abang Johari Openg to debate Dewan Rakyat Speaker Pandikar Amin Mulia on MA63 as they believe it has no legal force.

Chong said unless the state government can give a satisfactory explanation as to why Fong presented a contradictory stand in the Keruntum case, all the talk about autonomy, the London trip and forwarding of the historical document to the prime minister are just political rhetoric to deceive Sarawakians. 

Chong alleged Fong had argued before the Federal Court a Sarawak timber company has no legal or constitutional right to insist on the enforcement of a provision in the IGC Report.

Fong denied he made such a submission and had offered to pass on to Chong his written submission asking him to point out which part of the submission contained the words “the MA63 and IGC Report has no force of law in Malaysia”.

The Borneo Post reported Fong saying he would be claiming aggravated damages against Chong. – December 13, 2017.