The Malaysian Insider
December 22, 2010

GEORGE TOWN, Dec 22 – Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng has given Utusan Malaysia two weeks to apologise before he takes the daily to court.

Lim’s lawyer, Jagdeep Singh Deo, told reporters today he had sent a letter of demand to the national Malay newspaper yesterday asking it to withdraw certain words said to be slanderous in its December 20 article titled “Kebiadaban Guan Eng (The Rudeness of Guan Eng)”.

Utusan had said to have called Lim a racist and an “anti-Malay” in the article that ran a day after the Pakatan Rakyat (PR) rally.

Lim who is the party’s secretary-general also wants the paper to publish an apology and pay compensation for defaming him.

Jagdeep said Lim had denied the allegations in his notice of demand.

“He has also not gone against the Malays or oppressed them, did not cancel the Maulidur Rasul procession or stop the Malays from trading in Komtar during Ramadan month and has not demolished any villages,” said the lawyer who is also the state DAP vice-chairman,.

“Neither has the chief minister used funds from the Penang Turf Club for the senior citizens’ appreciation programme,” Jagdeep added.

Lim had vowed personal court action against the Umno-owned daily for allegedly calling him a foreign stooge and urging the DAP be banned.

“These are lies printed by Utusan,” the first-term Penang chief minister told The Malaysian Insider two days’ ago.

“I have no choice but to take a civil suit for defamation against Utusan,” Lim said, adding his party would also file a separate defamation suit against the paper.

Jagdeep said Lim had sent Utusan Malaysia five letters of demand since 2008.

One defamation suit has already been filed in court, he added.