In response to DAP Secretary-General and Minister of Transport Loke Siew Fook filing a court lawsuit for defamation, current affairs commentator and lawyer Hong Wei Xiang stated that he will actively defend himself through legal channels, emphasizing that his commentary was a factual discussion on matters of public interest and does not constitute defamation.
In a statement issued on Thursday, Hong Wei Xiang revealed that on the 22nd of this month he was informed by a lawyer friend that a case involving him had been recorded in the court system, and on the 24th he formally received the statement of claim from Loke Siew Fook's legal representatives.
He said that after learning the news, he publicly disclosed the matter on his personal political commentary livestream and Facebook page, requesting that the relevant legal documents be delivered as soon as possible to avoid wasting the parties' and judicial resources.
According to Hong Wei Xiang, he had already heard over the past year that DAP leaders were considering legal action regarding his remarks, so he was not surprised to be sued this time and had long prepared for the possibility of facing a lawsuit.
He pointed out that Loke Siew Fook's lawsuit mainly involves three commentary videos posted on his Facebook page "Soaring Across the Sky" in February, April, and May this year. The content involves topics such as the Unified Examination Certificate (UEC) and SPM issues, pork supply issues, DAP's political stances, and Loke Siew Fook's statements and performance on certain public issues.
Hong Wei Xiang believes that the content in these videos pertains to commentary on current affairs and public policy, with all information based on news reports and publicly available sources. He contends this amounts to fair comment, not malicious attacks or defamation.
Additionally, he questioned the statement of claim's reference to Section 114A of the Evidence Act 1950 and inclusion of certain netizens' comments under his Facebook page in the content of the lawsuit.
Evaluation of Party Performance Not Targeted at Individual
Hong Wei Xiang clarified that his position is that there is legal debate over whether the relevant provisions apply to comments on social media pages, and that most of the comments in question evaluate party performance rather than targeting Loke Siew Fook personally.
He said his legal team has been assembled and will proceed with the legal defense according to due process. He also does not rule out, after discussion with his lawyers, filing a countersuit on certain matters involved in the case.
Hong Wei Xiang also clarified that he has not launched any public fundraising activities or authorized any individuals or organizations to raise money on his behalf. He emphasized that he is able to bear the related litigation costs, and urged the public to remain vigilant and not to fall for fundraising scams using his name.
He stated that because the case has entered the judicial process, unless there are major new developments, he will not make further public comments on the case, and will leave everything to the court for lawful trial and judgment.