Aulong assemblyman Yew Tian Hoe won today a court ruling against his former state lawmaker colleague Datuk Hee Yit Foong for attacking him with a pepper spray in the infamous May 7, 2009 Perak legislative assembly.
He also won a restraining order preventing her from future assaults against him.
Jelapang assemblyman Hee gained infamy after she quit the DAP and pledged loyalty to the Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition leading to the fall of the then ruling Pakatan Rakyat (PR) state government.
She had been recorded attacking Yew in the lawmaking hall.
In his ruling, judicial commissioner Tarmizi Ab Rahman said Yew had successfully proven his case in the Ipoh High Court and awarded him the injunction, Yew’s lawyer Leong Cheok Keng told The Malaysian Insider.
“With this injunction, if Hee attacks Yew, then Yew can initiate contempt [of court] proceedings against Hee, apart from criminal proceedings,” the lawyer explained.
Tarmizi also ordered Hee, a former Perak Assembly deputy speaker, to pay court costs but said there was not enough evidence for him to evaluate the claims for damages.
“I welcome the ruling. Benar punya benar. Dia tak boleh tipu lagi. [The truth will prevail. She can’t lie anymore],” said Yew who filed the suit against Hee in June 2009.
Despite the obvious evidence of a photo and video recordings, Hee denied she had sprayed Yew and insisted she was only holding up a pen drive that resembled the spray canister.
In his statement of claim, Yew said he suffered pain and injury, mental shock and trauma, loss of dignity, and consequently public shame, humiliation and mental distress as a result of the attack.
Both Hee and Yew suffer from polio.
The Malaysian Insider understands that Hee fled the court complex in Ipoh this morning when approached by reporters for comments.
Her counsel Nor Emilia Iszehan told the press that she would first speak to her client before discussing any further action.
When contacted, Taiping MP and former state executive councillor Nga Kor Ming said today’s decision was a historic matter that proved PR’s claims to be true.
“This is the first time there is such a case where a deputy speaker of a House is being barred from attacking a person,” Nga said.
