THE High Court in Kuching has dismissed Sarawak DAP chairman Chong Chieng Jen’s application for the state government to produce documents for a libel suit the state has brought against him.

In pre-trial discovery on Monday, Chong wanted the state government to produce all documents regarding US-dollar borrowings by Sarawak Capital Assets, SGOS Capital Holdings, Sarawak Technology Holding, Delegateam and Aquasar through syndicated loan notes or issuance of bonds under the Sukuk Murabahah programme.

The state government is suing the Stampin MP over his allegations that RM11 billion from the state budget had gone to the pockets of government cronies, including companies linked to some state leaders.

Judicial Commissioner Alexander Siew dismissed the application, saying he agreed with the state government’s counsel, who said the documents, even if they existed, are irrelevant to the case and need not be produced at the trial.

Chong had also applied to have the minutes of meetings for the companies, which are all wholly owned by State Financial Secretary Incorporated, and all documents relating to payments made by these companies to third parties entered into evidence.

In the case management hearing, legal officer Mohd Adzrul Adzlan objected to the application on grounds that the documents are irrelevant.

Adzrul argued that Chong has not proven that the documents exist.

Chong said he was made aware of such documents from the environmental group Global Witness.

Adzrul said, in that case, Chong was going on a fishing expedition “in an attempt to find documents which are not related to supporting his defence”.

Chong made his allegations about the misappropriation of funds from the state budget in pamphlets he distributed at a press conference on January 2, 2013.

Siew fixed the libel trial for January 7, after refusing an application by Chong’s legal counsel, his father Chong Siew Chiang, to postpone the hearing. – December 18, 2020.