Sabah Celebrity in the News....

You can be in the news either for the right or wrong reasons. If it's for the right reason, then one would certainly welcome the publicity. If it's for the wrong reason, it's certainly not something that one looks forward to, especially if you are a celebrity.

Recently, Sabah-hailed Malaysian TV personality Daphne Iking (bottom picture) found herself in exactly the same situation - being in the news for the wrong reason. It's certainly not welcome news, conisdering that she's a public figure and celebrity.

Just two-and-a-half years ago, Daphne, a former Kadazan beauty queen, got married to fellow-Malaysian Ryan Chong in Bali, said to be one of the most romantic places on earth to tie the knot. I mean, who doesn't envy a friend getting married on the romantic Indonesian island of Bali? Daphne has since gave birth to Isobel who is now 21 months old.

Although I do not know much about Ryan's background or what he does for a living, I had no doubt that theirs would be a match made in heaven and sealed on a romantic island like Bali. I mean, for Daphne to have agreed to marry him when she could have concentrated on her successful career for at least a few more years, she must have loved him very much and vice versa.

As a fellow-Sabahan, I wished the couple well. So imagine my shock when I read in the newspapers last week that Ryan has dragged a businessman to court for "enticing" his wife, citing Section 498 of the Penal Code which reads: "enticing or taking away or detaining with a criminal intent a married woman."

Wow! My immediate reaction (as a former Pressman) was: "This is going to be juicy. The Press, especially the tabloids, would love it." Such is the cruelty of society, bearing in mind that it was the Paparazzi that killed Princess Diana. I had heard of "All Good Things Must Come To An End" but must this happen to a marriage, especially that of a seemingly perfect one?

By the way, although the man accused of enticing Daphne was described as a "Corporate Figure", he didn't turn out to be a well-known tycoon as his name did not immediately ring a bell (to me at least). His name: Choy Khin Ming (upper picture). He looks relatively young compared to other corporate figures and handsome too (which helps explain the alleged enticing). Surprisingly, Ryan's picture was not published; not in the Star at least where I got the above pictures from.

Looks like the case, though juicy since the plaintiff has produced 'evidence' including passport copies, invoices and e-mails, is going to be more complicated and intersting rather than straight-forward as between a plaintiff and defendant. This is because Daphne surprised both parties (or rather both men) when the trial opened by sending two lawyers who claimed they were holding a watching brief for her and may file to ask questions later.

Daphne's lawyers' presence not only took the court by surprise, they indirectly gave an indication of whose side Daphne is on when they told the magistrate that they would make a formal application to challenge the summons and the constituionality of Section 498.

"It is archaic and no longer has a place in society. It is a total affront to women to suggest that we can be so easily enticed and so stupid enough to be enticed," said one of Daphne's lawyers who is a woman.

The case has been adjourned to September. In the meantime, it looks like Ryan has to fight more than just the defendant - but his wife too.

(Footnote: Daphne is the daughter of a former policeman-turned-lawyer/banker Moses Iking who hails from Tambunan in Sabah's interior, best known for producing Huguan Siou (Paramount Chief of the Kadazan-Dusun people), Joseph Pairin whose popularity overthrew the then Berjaya government in 1985. Ironically, Moses challenged Pairin for the Tambunan state seat in the 2008 general election won by Pairin.)