KUCHING, July 31 -- Sarawak Democratic Action Party (DAP) chairman Chong Chieng Jen has decided to appeal against the Court of Appeal's decision against him in the 'black hole' case.

The Stampin MP said this decision was made in light of not just the Court of Appeal's decision to impose an award of RM300,000 in damages and RM200,000 costs against him but more importantly his view that the court's decision was contrary to the public interest.

"The Court of Appeal has, inter alia, decided that, in Malaysia, a government can sue its citizen for defamation. In most, if not all the Commonwealth countries, which practise the common law system (Malaysia is one), the courts have held that government has no rights to sue for defamation against i...