[UPDATED] J&E sues Azmin for Indian egg import claims

KUALA LUMPUR – Local company J&E Advance Tech Sdn Bhd has filed a defamation suit against former international trade and industry minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali.

According to a short statement by the company’s lawyer Elyse Ng, the suit was filed after Azmin did not respond to a letter of demand issued on April 4.

Azmin was asked to retract his statements, alleging J&E Advance Tech was awarded a contract to import eggs from India via direct negotiation.

In the statement of claim, J&E Advance Tech also made reference to Azmin’s claim that businessman Deepak Jaikishan was involved with the appointment of the company’s importation contract.

“The plaintiff pleads that the natural meaning of the false statements by the defendant is untrue and said with malice without taking into account the prejudice towards the company’s reputation,” read the statement of claim.

In the suit filed at the high court here, J&E Advance Tech is seeking an injunction against Azmin to prevent the former Gombak MP from continuing to issue defamatory statements against the company.

The company is also seeking damages against Azmin but did not specify a quantified amount.

However, in the initial letter of demand, J&E Advance Tech had demanded RM20 million in damages for injury caused to its reputation.

Case management for the defamation suit is scheduled for May 16.

According to the company’s lawyers, the writ of summons has been served to Azmin’s Bukit Antarabangsa service centre.

Agriculture and Food Security Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Sabu said in the previous parliamentary session that the government had given approval to only one company to import eggs from India.

The move was deemed a short-term “intervention” to address the egg shortage in the country.

On March 8, when answering a supplementary question in the Dewan Rakyat, Mohamad revealed that the company’s name was J&E Advance Tech.

Besides Azmin, the company has also sent letters of demand to Ayer Hitam MP and MCA president Datuk Seri Wee Ka Siong for statements made in Dewan Rakyat over the quality and freshness of the eggs from India. – The Vibes, April 14, 2023