bodyType

customContents

entityId

entityUuid

articlePageQuery

filter

article

articleBaseAdvertisingInfoArticle

articleListArticle

articleSeoArticle

hooksArticleAcknowledgementGateOverlayArticle

hooksTrackPageViewArticle

hooksContentInterestArticle

articleLinkingDataContent

hooksAmpRedirectArticle

articleSchemaContent

liveArticle

advertZone

sentiment

contentLock

topics

types

sections

paywallTypes

createdDate

publishedDate

sponsorType

urlAlias

moreOnThisArticles

commentCount

authorLocations

authors

corrections

displaySlideShow

multimediaEmbed

printHeadline

seriesContainer

articleSpeeches

socialHeadline

headline

images

flag

firstTopic

glossary

flattenTypeIds

image

relatedLinks

relatedNewsletters

__typename

sponsor

pdfFiles

seriesReverseOrder

series

disableOffPlatformContent

published

updatedDate

summary

subHeadline

body

keywords

readingTime

customTimezone

liveContents

Cliff Buddle

The chairman of CCT Telecom Holdings, Clement Mak Shiu-tong, has launched a damages action against his former legal advisers for publishing allegedly 'disparaging' remarks in Eastweek Magazine.

 Mr Mak said in a High Court writ the comments, relating to his Sun City building project on the mainland, were made maliciously and had damaged his reputation.

 He accused Chinese Law International Consultancy Centre and its managing director, Yue Kwok-ying, of defamation.

 A representative of Mr Yue is alleged to have later threatened to publish other matters relating to the project unless Mr Mak handed over $2 million.

 The legal consultants had been hired by the China Treasure Industrial Enterprise (CTIE) to provide advice in relation to the Sun City project.

 Mr Yue is alleged to have made defamatory comments to reporters from Eastweek Magazine concerning the development, knowing they would be published.

  The remarks appeared in last Thursday's edition of the magazine.

  'In consequence, the plaintiff's personal and business reputation has been seriously damaged and he has suffered considerable distress and embarrassment,' the writ said.

 Mr Mak is seeking a court injunction to stop Mr Yue and the consultancy from publishing further remarks.

 He alleges on the day the magazine was published the managing director and his consultancy threatened, through representative Danny Yim Chi-ming, to publicise further comments on the project unless $1.5 million was paid.

 Four days later, a person claiming to represent Mr Yue told Mr Mak further matters would be published unless $2 million was paid, the writ said.

 The consultancy was removed as legal advisers to CTIE in December 1996.

 It later sued for $287,000 in alleged unpaid fees but failed to obtain a summary judgment last September, the writ said.

 Mr Mak is seeking damages, an injunction, interest and costs through the High Court writ.



CCT Telecom chief in bid to win damages