By Shazwan Mustafa Kamal The Malaysian Insider November 04, 2010
KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 4 — Berita Harian admitted today that it had made an error over remarks which it had attributed to DAP’s Lim Kit Siang during a PAS ceramah at Singai Terah, Gua Musang on Monday.
The Umno-owned daily had yesterday accused Lim of saying “orang Umno kafir” (Umno members are infidels) to “influence Malays to vote for PAS” during the now ongoing Galas by-election.
The article quoted Melaka Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam as saying that Lim’s alleged remarks were made in the presence of PAS spiritual advisor 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 Melaka 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 advisor.
“The speech by Umno Melaka 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 advisor 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.
The Malaysian Insider now understands that Lim as well as DAP national chairman Karpal Singh will be holding a press conference later today to decide on the party’s next course of action.
“Well, I saw the apology, I just do not know how they can misquote someone like that, especially the Melaka chief minister.
“We will leave it to the press conference later to address our next course of action,” Lim told The Malaysian Insider today.
BH makes one-para correction over Kit Siang Malaysiakini Nov 4, 10
Berita Harian today made a correction over a report which appeared in the daily on Tuesday. It had quoted Malacca Chief Minister Mohd Ali Rustam as saying DAP stalwart Lim Kit Siang had called Umno kafir (infidels).
The daily’s page 8 carried a one-paragraph correction which said a speech quoting the Umno Malacca chief at a talk in Kampung Baru Hulu, Gua Musang, where the chief minister said the DAP is becoming braver and is seen as intervening in Islamic affairs, does not refer to Lim.
“The error is regretted,” the daily said.
Yesterday, Lim said he was expecting an apology from Berita Harian which carried the contentious report on Tuesday alleging he had branded Umno as kafir.
Lim said the DAP complainants who lodged police reports over the article had been informed over this by the police.
The three complainants were Pasir Pinji state assemblyperson Thomas Su, who is also DAP’s campaign coordinator for the Galas by-election, DAP Socialist Youth (Dapsy) secretary Teo Kok Seong and DAP women’s wing deputy secretary Leong Mee Meng.
Following the Berita Harian report, Umno Youth had lodged police reports against Lim.
Lim had denied making the remark at an alleged ceramah with Kelantan Menteri Besar Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat, and PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim at Kampung Baru Hulu, Sungai Terap while campaigning for the Galas by-election.
Lim had also denied he had addressed the crowd there.
DAP chairperson Karpal Singh said despite whatever happens today, he was preparing a writ of summons to be served on Mohd Ali and Berita Harian in the “next few days”.