I’m not Utusan’s ‘mystery priest’, DAP’s founding member tells court

DAP founding member and life adviser Dr Chen Man Hin (centre) with Lim Kit Siang and Gobind Singh Deo. – The Malaysian Insider pic, October 3, 2014.

DAP founding member and life adviser Dr Chen Man Hin testified in court today that he is not Utusan Malaysia's "Father Augustus Chen".

Dr Chen, 90, was testifying as a rebuttal witness in DAP adviser Lim Kit Siang's suit against Utusan Melayu (M) Bhd for alleging that he had manipulated the vote tabulation at the party’s elections in December, 2012, where the report had quoted "Father Augustus Chen".

Last week, Utusan reporter Kasthuri Jeevendran testified that ‎there was a rumour circulating that Dr Chen Man Hin was Father Augustus Chen. She, however, told the court she did not write this in her article.

Today, Dr Chen rebutted the allegation and denied he was Father Augustus Chen.

He also denied a suggestion by Utusan lawyer‎ Mohd Izral Khairy that he was prone to being a biased witness due to his close friendship with Lim.

"I only speak the truth. I am not biased."

Dr Chen, a medical doctor, when asked about his friendship with Lim, described it as “hand in glove”.

He also said he knew Lim's family well, including Lim Guan Eng, whom he has known since he was a “young boy riding a bicycle”.

Dr Chen, who was smartly dressed in jeans, t-shirt and a black sports jacket, walked with a hunch but was alert when answering questions by the defence lawyer.

He told the lawyer to "speak louder" as he could not hear very well.

In his suit, Lim said the article implied that Father Augustus Chen existed and that the contents of the latter's "The Equity Report (CEC Election Fraud)" on the alleged irregularities and internal politics in the DAP polls were true.

Lim had previously testified that he did not know a Father Augustus Chen and that to his knowledge, such a person did not exist.

He had also said that it was a fictitious character created to tarnish his image and that of DAP.

Judge Datuk Yeo Wee Siam fixed December 10 for decision.

- TMI