Judicial commissioner Azizan Arshad awarded Lim RM60,000 in general damages and RM15,000 in costs, plus interest at 5% per annum from Oct 30, 2019 until full settlement.

Azizan also ordered a permanent injunction against Chang Wei Lu from making defamatory statements against Lim in the future.

In 2019, Chang insinuated that Lim was behind the Inland Revenue Board’s (LHDN) push for RM2.4 million in tax arrears from him.

Lim was the finance minister in the Pakatan Harapan administration from 2018 to 2020, while Chang is the former Penang Chinese Clan Council chairman and a Zhang clan leader.

Chang’s remarks were subsequently published in two Chinese dailies. Lim pursued separate legal actions against the dailies and was awarded RM150,000 in damages in 2022.

At a press conference on May 13, 2019, Chang claimed that an RM500,000 donation he made to the Tunku Abdul Rahman University College (TAR UC) had upset Lim, who, as finance minister then, had refused to fund the institution.

Chang also claimed he was slapped with a RM2.4 million tax bill by LHDN and was barred from leaving the country.

Lim contended that the published remarks suggested that he had abused his power as finance minister and “misused” the LHDN to go against Chang. He said Chang’s statements had “gravely injured” his character, reputation and good name.

Lim was represented by K Simon Murali, while YC Wong and KW Lim appeared for Chang.

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