Trial ends with a 'sorry' from Choy

KUALA LUMPUR: The businessman who was accused of enticing Daphne Iking while she was still married was discharged and acquitted yesterday after he made a public apology.
Darren Choy Khin Ming, 45, also publicly denied that he was the biological father of Iking's 3-year-old daughter.

Iking's former husband, Ryan Chong Yiing Yih, 32, had initiated a private prosecution against Choy for allegedly enticing Iking when she was still married to him.

Choy allegedly committed the offence at a condominium in Taman Tun Dr Ismail here between July 2007 and September 2008.

Iking and Chong were married in Bali, Indonesia, on Jan 27, 2007, but divorced in 2009.

Choy's statement was read out at the magistrate's court by counsel Datuk Jagjit Singh yesterday.



"I, Darren Choy, do duly hereby acknowledge that my relationship with Iking has caused embarrassment and humiliation to Chong, his parents, siblings and relatives.

"I do further acknowledge that my relationship with Iking has resulted in a private prosecution by Chong against me, being the subject matter of the current proceedings in court," read Jagjit.

Choy said he regretted if the issues raised during the proceedings might have tarnished Chong and his family's reputation, character and image.

He also retracted several allegations against Chong, including that the former husband had promised Iking money when she agreed to marry him.

"I do hereby tender my sincere and unreserved apology to Chong, his parents and siblings," he said in the statement.

Following that, Chong's counsel Wong Kien Keong told magistrate Engku Ahmad Rashdi Engku Abdillah that his client would not proceed with the prosecution against Choy.



Engku Ahmad Rashdi then discharged and acquitted Choy.

After the proceedings, Choy approached Chong and they were seen shaking hands.

Later, Chong's co-counsel Chris Lim said an apology by Choy was among the terms agreed upon by the parties for the out-of-court settlement.

He said Choy was also expected to make a public apology in several newspapers by this week.

Choy's counsel Akhbardin Abdul Kader said the settlement did not involve any monetary awards and that it was a win-win situation for both.

"It's amicable, no animosity," he said.

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Iking’s ex-husband denies his parents vowed to destroy her career

KUALA LUMPUR: Former husband of Daphne Iking denied telling the TV presenter that his parents had "vowed" to destroy her career after finding out about her affair and that he had no say in the matter.

Businessman Ryan Chong Yiing Yih, 33, also denied telling Iking that his parents had engaged “one of the most expensive and well-connected criminal lawyers in Kuala Lumpur who was a former public prosecutor and with good connections to ensure that Iking and the other person involved were punished".

Chong, who was being cross-examined by lawyer Datuk Jagjit Singh at a magistrate's court here Friday, was responding to allegations stated in a divorce petition filed by Iking last year.

Chong initiated a private summons against corporate figure Darren Choy Khin Ming, 45, for seducing Iking, 33, with the intention of having sexual intercourse with her at Plaza Condominium, Jalan Wan Kadir, Taman Tun Dr Ismail in Kuala Lumpur, between July 2007 and September 2008.

Iking and Chong married on Jan 27, 2007 in Bali, Indonesia.

They divorced last year.

Chong further denied that the Bali wedding was a cheap publicity stunt for fame using Iking's popularity.

He also denied that he gave exclusive rights to UK-based Hello! magazine for the wedding to be featured in its first Malaysian edition published on March 2007.

He maintained that he agreed to the feature as Iking had earlier arranged it.

Chong described the wedding as a "private affair attended by only 80 friends", to which Jagjit lashed back: "You gave the rights to Hello! and you say it was a private affair?"

"It was our wedding, what can I say?," Chong said.

Chong denied an allegation that when he was courting Iking in September 2006, he had told her that he stood to inherit RM8mil from his grandfather when the latter died.

He said that he did not inherit anything when his grandfather passed away in August 2008.

He also disagreed with Jagjit's suggestion that he did not receive the inheritance because his grandfather had known about his adulterous relationship with a guest-relations officer named Serena, whom he met in a karaoke club in Shanghai in June 2007.

Earlier, Jagjit informed the court that the defendant had suggested an out-of-court settlement to be discussed this weekend.

Lawyers Wong Kian Kheong and Chris Lim represented Chong, while Jagjit and Akbardin Abdul Kader represented Choy.

Hearing before magistrate Engku Ahmad Rashdi Engku Abdillah continues on Monday.

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Daphne Iking peluk Islam kerana minat

KUALA LUMPUR: “Jangan salah sangka kerana saya tidak memeluk Islam semata-mata untuk berkahwin dengan lelaki Melayu. Saya sudah lama terdedah kepada agama ini dan kerana keindahannya, saya tertarik untuk menjadi seorang Muslimah,” kata pelakon dan personaliti terkenal, Daphne Eleanor Iking.

Sebelum ini, gosip mengenai bintang filem Belukar berusia 32 tahun itu memeluk Islam menjadi tajuk hangat di laman web hiburan tempatan. Bagaimanapun, tidak lama kemudian Daphne menjelaskan kepada media, dia memeluk Islam awal bulan lalu selepas mempelajari selok- belok agama itu, Disember lalu.

“Selepas memeluk agama Islam, saya membuat keputusan berkahwin dengan lelaki pilihan hati, iaitu Azmi Abdul Rahman atau lebih dikenali sebagai Joe. Majlis resepsi dilakukan di kampung halaman saya di Keningau, Sabah 8 Januari lalu.

“Majlis perkahwinan itu hanya dilakukan kecil-kecilan. Bagi saya, tidak perlu mengadakan majlis besar- besaran kerana yang penting adalah keutuhan rumah tangga berkenaan dan bukan majlis perkahwinan,” katanya, semalam.



Menurut Daphne, dia dan Joe adalah rakan kongsi dalam perniagaan.

Katanya, sejak mengenali hati budi masing-masing, mereka tertarik antara satu sama lain dan membuat keputusan menamatkan hubungan yang terjalin ke jenjang pelamin.

“Suami saya bersikap rendah diri dan tidak mahu terlalu menonjol di khalayak ramai mahupun media. Malah, saya mencintainya kerana sifatnya yang lemah lembut dan penyayang,” katanya.

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Pengacara Daphne Iking peluk Islam bulan lalu

KUALA LUMPUR - Pengacara terkenal yang juga pelakon filem Belukar, Daphne Eleanor Iking (gambar) mengesahkan beliau telah memeluk agama Islam awal bulan lepas.

Pemenang anugerah Aktres Harapan Terbaik pada Festival Filem Malaysia Ke-23 itu turut mengakui beliau telah melangsungkan perkahwinan dengan seorang usahawan, Azmi Abdul Rahman atau lebih dikenali sebagai Joe, 30-an, pada 8 Januari lalu.

Ini merupakan perkahwinan kedua Daphne, 31, yang sebelum ini mengahwini Ryan Chong Yiing Yih, 33 dan dikurniakan seorang cahaya mata, Isobel Daniella Iking, 4.

"Saya memeluk Islam bulan lalu dan kemudian bernikah pada 8 Januari. Majlis kesyukuran secara kecil-kecilan telah diadakan di kampung halaman saya di Keningau, Sabah," akui Daphne.

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