AN egg importer has filed a lawsuit against former international trade and industry minister Mohamed Azmin Ali for alleging the company obtained a contract through direct negotiation with the government to import eggs from India.

J&E Advance Tech Sdn Bhd, as plaintiff, filed the suit through Law Chambers of Han & Zi at the Kuala Lumpur High Court on April 12, naming Azmin as the sole defendant.

The company is claiming the defendant had defamed the company in a political talk titled “Ceramah Perdana: Solidariti Menentang Kezaliman” in Taman Melewar on March 11, and his words were published by print and electronic media, including YouTube.

Even though J&E Advance Tech was not named in the speech, it was clearly referring to the plaintiff as it was the only Malaysian company allowed to import eggs from India, as announced by Agriculture and Food Security Minister Mohamad Sabu in the Dewan Rakyat on March 8, the statement of claim read.

The defendant made the allegation with the knowledge the company was only importing eggs from India as a temporary measure to meet local demand during festive times to help solve the lack of eggs in the market since October last year.

The suit stated that the claims were untrue as the company had never bene involved and had no links with whatever direct negotiation by the Malaysian government, and claimed that Azmin’s actions were malicious and intended to damage the plaintiff’s image and reputation as well as to gain cheap publicity for political gain.

The plaintiff is seeking an injunction against the defendant to stop him, or any of his agents or workers from speaking or publishing any defamatory statements and to seek general damages, compensation, severe, exemplary, interest and other relief deemed appropriate by the court.

Lawyer Elyse Ng Zi Qian, who represented the plaintiff today, said the suit was set for mention on May 16 before deputy registrar Rozana Husin.

“We have sent out the sealed writ of summons together with the statement of claim to his (Azmin) addresses,” she said in the statement. – Bernama, April 14, 2023.