KUALA LUMPUR (Aug 14): Former finance minister Lim Guan Eng's son, Clint Lim Whay Chau, was already working in Singapore in February 2020, the High Court heard on Wednesday.

Whay Chau, along with his father, is suing former Umno Youth executive council member Wan Muhammad Azri Wan Deris over defamatory comments Wan Azri had made in alleging that the younger Lim was detained at Changi Airport for attempting to bring in RM2 million into the neighbouring country without proper declarations.

Taking the stand on Wednesday, Whay Chau, 31, said that he was employed in Singapore as a property analyst and had re-entered Singapore more than a week before the date stated in the allegedly defamatory post on Facebook.

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"Although I was in Singapore on Feb 29, 2020, I was nowhere near Changi Airport. At that point in time, I was working in a company as a property analyst.

"If I may recall, Feb 29, 2020, fell on a Saturday. It was an off day. I was probably at home or going out with friends. I was not in Changi Airport or anywhere near its vicinity," he said.

While on the stand, Whay Chau, who is currently working as a general manager in Penang, also said that the defamatory statement was baseless.

During cross examination by Wan Azri's counsel Logen Eskandar, Whay Chau testified that he was back in Malaysia for Chinese New Year celebrations and went back to Singapore on February 20.

In the 2021 suit, both father and son claimed that Wan Azri was spreading "malicious lies" and false news about them. They say that the blogger, under the Facebook account "Papa Azri", had falsely alleged that Guan Eng had flown to Singapore around Feb 29, 2020, after Whay Chau had taken millions in undeclared cash into the neighbouring country and was detained at the airport.

On Tuesday, Guan Eng, 63, had testified that he was very much in Malaysia around February 2020, as he was in the midst of the "Sheraton Move" political crisis which saw the fall of the Pakatan Harapan (PH) government and Perikatan Nasional (PN) taking over the reins.

Guan Eng, who is also DAP chief, was the finance minister under the PH government.

During continued cross examination on Wednesday, Guan Eng also testified that he did not provide a copy of his travel document as proof, as it is currently impounded by the court in his criminal trial.

The day's proceedings also saw tempers flare between Guan Eng and Logan during cross examination, prompting the court to remind all parties to observe proper court decorum.

The former Penang chief minister also said that he is seeking around RM3 million in damages as this was not the first time that the blogger had published false statements against him and his family. He said the amount was also to serve as a deterrent.

In his defence, Wan Azri denied that he was the infamous blogger "Papagomo".

Guan Eng and his son are represented by Simon Murali in this trial.

Proceedings before Judicial Commissioner Eddie Yeo Soon Chye continues on Thursday. 

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