(Media Conference Statement 2 at DAP Ipoh Timur Ops Centre on Friday, 7th March 2008 at 12.30 pm)

The Star headline “Opposition senses victory – Anwar and Kit Siang confident of forming next govt with PAS” today are downright double lies.

This is the Star report (N 12):

PKR and DAP will form next Government , say Anwar and Kit Siang

By AUDREY EDWARDS and CHAN LI LEEN

KUALA LUMPUR: Buoyed by the large crowds at their rallies, opposition parties are now claiming they can win the general election and form the next Government.

PKR de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and his DAP counterpart Lim Kit Siang both expressed confidence that their loose coalition, which also includes PAS, had the support of the voters.

In Rembau, Anwar said he was confident the Opposition would win and “our first duty to the people is to bring down oil prices.”
“God willing, we will win on March 8. You tell those Barisan (Nasional) boys we will win,” he saud.

“And when DAP, PKR and PAS win on March 8, we will bring down the oil prices on March 9,” he said at a ceramah yesterday.

In Ipoh, Lim said a strong and powerful wind of change was blowing in the land and he was also confident of the voters’ support.

This, he said, was evident by the mammoth turnout, enthusiastic responses and generous donations of Malaysians at ceramah held in various states.

“The crowd numbered from several thousands to more than 10,000 at the ceramah I attended in Malacca, Negri Sembilan, Kuala Lumpur, Selangor, Perak and Penang in the past three days,” Lim told reporters yesterday.

“But the question is whether the wind of change rising will be strong and powerful enough on March 8 to make it a day of history and a day of destiny for Malaysia,” Lim added.

There is nothing wrong with the report filed by the Star reporter Chan Li Leen but everything wrong with the heading given by the sub-editor or editor.

I believe as a conscientious reporter, Chan would have filed a fuller report of my media conference yesterday, particularly the most important message, viz:

“Let me advice all BN leaders and candidates: Grow up and accept the ups and downs of the democratic process and stop being spoiled brats when at most the Barisan Nasional is losing two-thirds parliamentary majority and not losing power.”

This important paragraph had been deliberately omitted by the sub-editor or editor as it would have spoiled the devilish plot to concoct the mischievous headline:“Opposition senses victory – Anwar and Kit Siang confident of forming next govt with PAS”.

Neither I nor any DAP leader had ever claimed in the general election campaign that it is possible to topple the Barisan Nasional government on March 8 – as we have consistently maintained that the most that could achieved is the denial of the BN two-thirds parliamentary majority, which is already a tall order and would have historic and far-reaching political implications.

Let the sub-editor or editor responsible for the double lies by using my name to justify the mischievous headline step forward and identify himself – for he is the worst specimen of a journalistic prostitute completely devoid of journalistic ethics and values and must be hounded out of the journalistic profession, although he is devilishly clever in able to concoct two lies within in eleven words: “Anwar and Kit Siang confident of forming next govt with PAS”, viz:

• The first lie, that together with Anwar Ibrahim, I am confident of toppling the BN government on March 8; and

• The second lie, that DAP has an arrangement with PAS to form the next national government.

I call on Star to publish a fulsome apology for these double lies in its headline, which must be done immediately on Star online and not wait until tomorrow. Secondly, the sub-editor or editor responsible for the mischievous and devilish heading must be identified and sacked, unless the Star is giving full support to this ‘biggest lie of Malaysian journalism in the 12th general election.”

If Star is not prepared to immediately apologise within the next two hours (i.e. by 2.30 p.m.) on its online version, there should be a firestorm of protest by outraged Malaysians by phoning Star offices all over the country to condemn such despicable and devilish journalism.

The phone contacts of Star offices nationwide are available from the following:

http://thestar.com.my/info/thestar.asp#address