On 27 March 2024, construction company Beaks and its subsidiary Suria Harmoni filed a defamation case against news outlet Malaysiakini, Sivaranjani Manickam, and Michael Jeyakumar Devarak (in their capacity as Chairman of Parti Sosialis Malaysia (Malaysian Socialist Party) in Malaysia. The lawsuit came after Parti Sosialis Malaysia filed a police case in connection with the arrest of three migrant workers who refused to withdraw labour complaints made against Beaks. On 12 March 2024, six Bangladeshi workers filed a complaint with the police, alleging their employer, construction company Beaks, had confiscated their passports and not provided them with promised jobs or salaries. The company claimed that the allegations against them were untrue. On 2 April, the company obtained an ex parte injunction that was then denied by the Shah Alam High Court on 19th April and ordered the company to pay damages.

We invited the company to respond; it did. Rejoinders from the Malaysian Socialist Party are also available below.