GEORGE TOWN, May 20 — Penang Chinese Chamber of Commerce (PCCC) life honorary president Tan Sri Tan Kok Ping’s defamation suit against Penang chief minister Chow Kon Yeow will go to trial in August after a court-ordered mediation between both parties failed today.

Tan, who was represented by counsel Kek Boon Wei, told reporters outside the courthouse that the hearing will be for three days from August 26 to 28.

"The mediation is not successful so this suit will go to trial as fixed,” he said.

He said Chow had refused to meet his demands to issue an apology to him in the newspapers.

"He’s not willing to do that (publish an apology in newspapers), so this forces us to go to court,” he said.

He added that he was willing to go to court because he believed that the truth would be revealed in court.

Tan had filed a suit against Chow over the latter’s statement published in Chinese newspapers last December on Tan’s resignation as the trustee of the Silver Jubilee Home.

Chow, who was represented by counsel Cheah Eng Soon, did not speak to the media after the mediation session.