Penang: The Court of Appeal here today upheld the High Court's dismissal of businessman Tan Sri Tan Kok Ping's libel suit against Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow. A three-member bench comprising Justices Datuk Dr Alwi Abdul Wahab, Datuk Dr Shahnaz Sulaiman, and Datuk Amarjeet Singh unanimously dismissed Tan's appeal against the Nov 26, 2024 High Court decision.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Justice Alwi delivered the court's decision, stating that the High Court did not commit any error which warranted appellate intervention. Justice Alwi explained that Chow's statements could be regarded as fair comment as they constituted an honest opinion based on proven facts concerning a matter of public interest, specifically the governance of a charitable institution.

Justice Alwi added that Chow's defence of justification had been established because the substance of the statements was generally true. He noted that the doctrine of 'half-truth' did not apply as no material facts were concealed. Additionally, Tan had failed to prove malice when the statements were made, and Chow's defence of qualified privilege applied as he was entitled to publicly respond to Tan's resignation letter.

The court ordered Tan to pay RM50,000 in costs. Tan had filed the suit against Chow in January 2024 over Chow's statements related to his resignation as a trustee of the Silver Jubilee Home for the Aged. Chow made the remarks at two press conferences held at his office at Komtar in Penang on Dec 1, 2023, and Dec 6, 2023, which were subsequently carried by the press.

At that time, both Tan and Chow were trustees of the Penang and Province Wellesley Silver Jubilee Fund, a corporation established to maintain the Silver Jubilee home. The High Court in Penang had dismissed Tan's suit, prompting him to appeal to the Court of Appeal. At the Court of Appeal today, lawyers K. Kirubakaran, Kek Boon Wei, and Lee Wen Qian appeared for Tan, while lawyer Cheah Eng Soon represented Chow.