Kuek ho yao biography
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Before his death he urged those attending his funeral not to waste money on wreaths! As a student he was a quiet and reserved person and so was he in his later life. Little is known of his joining date in RCJB but it appears to be in 1954 for as evidenced in a photo taken in 1954 with other Rotarians of our Club. This is evidenced by the fact that their names are not in the 25th Anniversary magazine.
There was no evidence that the statements were made dishonestly or recklessly.
Damages Would Have Been Capped at RM150,000
While the appeal was dismissed entirely, the Court noted that even if Lim had succeeded, damages would have been capped at RM150,000 due to:
- Limited reach of the article (behind a paywall),
- No application for injunction,
- Lim’s continued political success post-publication (winning a parliamentary seat and becoming DAP Chairman).
Legal Significance: A Milestone for Free Speech and Political Commentary
This ruling is a notable precedent in Malaysian defamation law.
He became a tycoon in his own right and was twice kidnapped once on May 24 1984 for 66 days and later on June 13 1987 for 77 days. He was director of Foon Yew High School for several years, director of all the five Foon Yew Primary schools from 1971 to 1986.
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Lim Guan Eng’s Defamation Suit Dismissed by Court of Appeal – Summary
Introduction: A Political Defamation Case
In a decision delivered on 25 February 2025, the Court of Appeal of Malaysia dismissed former Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng’s defamation lawsuit against Datuk Tan Teik Cheng and Star Media Group Berhad (Citation: [2025] CLJU 388).
He leaves behind two sons, three daughters and 15 grandchildren. He was not a charter member. He was instrumental and is also said to be a founder of the Southern University College in Johor Bahru.
He was born in 1916 and studied in English College, Johor Bahru. While in English College he was censured by his class teacher, an Englishman and it is said he resented the censure.
Their fathers were siblings. Despite his age in later years he was known to be punctual for all meetings and occasions, courteous, sincere and even courageous. Consult us for more information!
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Wee: Resolve development delays of Johor Chinese schools
ISSUES related to the development of several proposed Chinese schools in Johor should be resolved fast, says Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong.
The Ayer Hitam MP raised the matter after pointing out that the proposed projects to develop SJK (C) Kuek Ho Yao and SJK (C) Sim Mow Yu, including the relocation of Yong Peng High School, have been pending since 2018.
“The groundbreaking ceremony for the proposed SJK (C) Kuek Ho Yao was held in March 2018 in the presence of the then education minister Dr Maszlee Malik, who gave his assurance that the project would go on.
“Because of this, the school had appealed to the Education Ministry requesting the development plans, which were submitted in August this year,” he said when debating the ministry’s budget at the committee stage.
He said RM12mil in contributions have since been collected for the development of the school.
“Now, all we need is the green light from the ministry – I appeal to the minister to expedite this,” he said.
On the proposed development of SJK (C) Sim Mow Yu in Pasir Gudang, Dr Wee said plans were put on hold in 2018 as it was said to be too close to the existing SJK (C) Ladang Grisek, which was originally relocated from Tangkak.
“SJK (C) Ladang Grisek is now full, with 720 students, with 50 others awaiting enrolment.
“This means there is a need for another school, owing to the rapid development in the area,” Dr Wee said.
He urged the ministry to work together with the relevant parties to find a formula to resolve the matter.
“What is important is continuity in carrying out what had been decided by the previous administration,” he added.
The MCA president also raised the issue of the proposed relocation of Yong Peng High School, a private school in his constituency.
He said relocation plans had been submitted to the ministry.
“The current school sits on an area about only 9,500 sq ft (883 sq m) but is accommodating over 500 students,” Dr Wee said, adding that Yong Peng residents including the school’s alumni had raised RM30mil for the relocation project.
In reply to the issues raised, Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek said the legal aspects of the relocation status of Yong Peng High School are still being studied.
She said the ministry is still scrutinising the relocation registration certificate application and terms as stipulated in the existing law.
“This is to ensure that the relocation is made in accordance with the Education Act,” she said in winding up the debate on the ministry’s budget.
Fadhlina also said the project drawings of SJK (C) Kuek Ho Yao are being reviewed before being handed over to the Johor Education Department by Dec 13.
“This would then be given to the temporary construction committee of the school for further action,” she said.
Key findings included:
- Statements Not Defamatory: The Court concluded that a reasonable reader would interpret the statements as political opinion or commentary—not outright allegations.
- Context Matters: The article was published during an election campaign and was labeled clearly as a “Letter to the Editor,” allowing for public response.
- Fair Comment Defence Succeeds: The statements were based on true underlying facts, including:
- Lim’s public acknowledgment of the RM4 million allocation.
- The ongoing public dispute over the school’s name.
- The lack of denial by Lim at the time of publication.
- Reportage Defence Applies: The Star merely reported the fact that the MCA Vice President made the statement, without adopting the allegations as its own.
Both were good friends and relations of our other late Rotarian PP Philemon Graham Marshall Lee (Curley Lee). The case centered on allegedly defamatory statements published during the Johor State Election 2022, involving claims that Lim imposed a condition to rename a Chinese vernacular school in exchange for a government grant.
This case attracted national attention due to its political implications and the personalities involved—Lim Guan Eng from DAP (Pakatan Harapan) and Datuk Tan from MCA (Barisan Nasional).
Background: The SJKC Kuek Ho Yao Naming Controversy
The controversy began when the name of Sekolah Jenis Kebangsaan Cina (SJKC) Kuek Ho Yao was allegedly in flux due to changes in the development plans by private developers, first UM Land and later Eco World.
Once their career took off they left Rotary to pursue their fortune and very successful career. Tan Sri Kuek Ho Yao was a prominent personality in Johor. He opted to leave school!
He was a cousin to Asia’s Sugar King Robert Kuok. He was resolute during both kidnappings and did little to change his daily routine or security even after the episodes.Public confusion ensued when news outlets reported that the new developer might influence the school’s name, raising suspicions and community backlash.
In 2019, a closed-door meeting between Ministry officials and the family of the late Tan Sri Kuek Ho Yao agreed to a revised name: SJKC Kuek Ho Yao @ Eco Spring.
However, this name change was not publicly disclosed at the time.
The Allegations and Media Coverage
During the 2022 Johor State Election, Datuk Tan Teik Cheng published a press statement—later carried by The Star Online—accusing Lim Guan Eng of political interference.