FORMER finance minister Lim Guan Eng has won a default judgment in his defamation suit against Raja Petra Kamarudin after the blogger failed to respond to a legal notice.

The order, given by high court judge Rohani Ismail in chambers, follows the UK-based Raja Petra’s failure to contest the suit despite a February 10 notice published in three newspapers for him to do so.

Lim’s lawyer, Kok Yuen Lin, said the court will award damages at a later date.

The DAP secretary-general sued Raja Petra over the publication of 10 articles on the Penang undersea tunnel project.

In his statement of claim filed at the Kuala Lumpur High Court last September, Lim said the articles, published on the Malaysia Today blog between February 24 and March 15 last year, are defamatory.

He said they contained allegations that he indulged in corrupt practices when he was Penang chief minister.

The articles, part of a series called “From the MACC files”, also made references to interim prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad, Attorney-General Tommy Thomas, Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow, former tourism minister Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz and Consortium Zenith Construction Sdn Bhd chairman Zarul Ahmad Mohd Zulkifli.

“The plaintiff pleads that the impugned statements have disparaged him in his public office, calling and profession, and furthermore, have gravely injured his character, reputation and good name,” said the statement of claim.

“The impugned statements in the said articles have deeply lowered the plaintiff in the estimation of right-thinking members of society.”

In the statement, Lim said Raja Petra is “relentless in his campaign of purported lies and character assassination” against him.

The Bagan MP sought general, aggravated and exemplary damages, and other costs deemed fit by the court.

Lim previously said the undersea tunnel project was awarded to Consortium Zenith Construction via an open tender, and there was no corruption involved. – February 28, 2020.