By Shazwan Mustafa Kamal The Malaysian Insider
KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 4 — Lim Kit Siang is going ahead to sue Berita Harian for saying he remarked “orang Umno kafir” or infidels, saying he remained unconvinced with the Umno-owned Malay daily’s admission of error.
The DAP adviser claimed that the “correction” by the Umno daily did not amount to any apology but instead added “insult to injury”.
Berita Harian admitted today that it had made an error over remarks which it had attributed to Lim (picture) during a PAS ceramah at Sungai Terah, Gua Musang on Monday. The daily, under the vast Media Prima Berhad group, had yesterday accused Lim of saying “orang Umno kafir” (Umno members are infidels) to “influence Malays to vote for PAS” in today’s Galas by-election. The results of the by-election will be known tonight.
“I cannot figure out how ‘silap tulis’ can be used as a defence, excuse of justification for such a malicious, irresponsible, defamatory and seditious report, seeking to incite racial and religious hatred in a multi-religious and multi-racial country.
“Berita Harian has not made any apology and has added insult to injury by implying without producing any proof that Ali Rustam was right in accusing a DAP national leader of having called Umno Malays as kafirs,” Lim told reporters today.
The Malay daily quoted Malacca Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam as saying that Lim’s alleged remarks were made in the presence of PAS spiritual adviser Datuk Nik Aziz Nik Mat and PKR de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim during a ceramah in Sungai Terah.
However, in an about-turn today, Berita Harian claimed the Malacca chief minister’s remarks were taken from his speech during a ceramah, and that Ali Rustam’s remarks was not made in reference to the DAP adviser.
“The speech by Malacca Umno liaison chairman Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam, where he said that DAP was becoming bolder in interfering with Muslim affairs in Kampung Gua Hulu, Gua Musang was not referring to DAP adviser Lim Kit Siang,” said the one-paragraph correction on page 8 of the daily today.
The DAP said yesterday that it will initiate legal action against both Ali Rustam as well as Berita Harian for making “false allegations” against Lim, maintaining that the action would proceed even if both parties came out with a public apology.
Lim has denied uttering the remarks, and maintained that he had not been present at the function.
Today, Lim demanded that the Malacca chief minister be suspended from his official duties as he had shown to be “unfit and unworthy” by disseminating racial and religious “ill-will”. When asked whether the DAP had contacted Ali Rustam to verify the remarks made by him, Lim said that it was “not necessary”.
“On the part of the Prime Minister and Umno president, Datuk Seri Najib Razak, he should immediately suspend Ali Rustam as Malacca CM… Ali Rustam has kept quiet for 48 hours since the Berita Harian article came out, he has not said that he was misreported.
“Right now we will sue both Berita Harian and Ali Rustam, should he come out and say that he was misquoted then he can sue Berita Harian also,” added Lim.
Lim’s lawyer Karpal Singh said a writ of summons against both parties will be filed at the Kuala Lumpur High Court on Monday at 2.30pm.
“If they want trouble, they have come to the right place,” said Karpal.
Ali Rustam could not be reached for comment.
On another matter, Lim said he filed two notices in Parliament today to move a motion next week to deduct the salaries of Attorney-General Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail as well as Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) chief commissioner Datuk Abu Kassim Mohamed.
“Minister in the Prime Minister’s department Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz said yesterday in Parliament that the government has closed the case of private investigator P. Balasubramaniam. The action of the A-G raises questions on his professionalism, and whether he discharges his duty in acting fairly and impartially.
“When Parliament resumes its debate on the committee level on Tuesday, I will move a motion to deduct RM10 cut from his salary,” said Lim.
The Ipoh Timur MP said he was also moving the same motion against Abu Kassim for Malaysia’s poor performance in Transparency International (TI)’s Corruption Perception Index (CPI), where Malaysia dropped from 4.5 to 4.4 in ranking this year.
“TI’s ranking has shown that Malaysia’s ranking in terms of CPI has sunk to its lowest levels,” the DAP veteran added.