RAYUAN DERMA DANA BANTU TRANSPARENCY INTERNATIONAL YANG DISAMAN OLEH TIONG

Transparency International Malaysia (TI-M) merayu kepada Rakyat Malaysia agar bermurah hati menghulurkan derma untuk dana bagi tujuan membantu Presidennya Datuk paul Low (foto kiri) yang telah disaman oleh Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing, CEO pemaju PKFZ iaitu Kuala Dimensi Sendirian Berhad di atas laporan TI-M yang menyifatkan Projek Port Klang Free Zone "one of the biggest scandals of the year".

TI-Malaysia calls for public to support sued President

PETALING JAYA (Nov 24, 2009): Transparency International Malaysia (TI-M) is appealing to the public to support a legal fund being set up to help its president, Datuk Paul Low who has been sued by Bintulu MP Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing for defamation over a TI-M report that called the Port Klang Free Zone project "one of the biggest scandals of the year".

"TI-M hopes that the public will support the legal defence fund, so that we will not be hampered or deterred in its crucial work," said TI-M secretary general C I Ngooi in a press release today,.

Ngooi added that the fund had been "overwhelmingly" supported in a TI-M Emergency General Meeting on Nov 7 this year to back the controversial 2009 Global Corruption Report and Low.

Low, who was elected as TI-M president in March this year was forced to quit his post on Oct 6 after receiving heavy criticism over the TI-M report which highlighted the RM4.6 billion Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ) scandal.

Tiong, who is also the Chief Executive Officer of PKFZ turnkey developer Kuala Dimensi Sendirian Berhad had earlier announced his intentions to sue Low and TI-M over the report which he alleged was "irresponsible".

Low, who resigned on his own free will, told the media at the time that he had resigned over his failure to consult the TI-M executive committee before releasing the report. Low was also apppointed on June 10 to head the PKFZ Port Klang Authority Ad Hoc Committee on Governance, a post which he still retains.

However, TI-M re-elected him as President on Nov 7.

Ngooi said the suit which was received by Low at his firm today did not specify a specific amount of damages, but sought aggravated and exemplary damages, adding that the suit cited passages from the report, as well as articles published by theSun and the online portal Malaysiakini which referred to the report and PKFZ.

Asked when the fund would be opened to the public, Ngooi said TI-M had yet to set up the fund, adding that it was "moving quickly" to determine what legal requirements are needed before asking the public for help.

"We have not set up the fund yet, but we will be looking at all the legal requirements before setting it up soon," said Ngooi.

" There may be such possible requirements as ROS approval. We have to move quickly, at present we have legal disbursements and deposits to pay," he added

Tan Yi Liang/sun2surf