DAP MP for Kepong, Lim Lip Eng, has given UMNO Vice President and former Najib Minister, Datuk Ismail Sabri 24 hours to retract and apologise for the latter’s fake news and hate speech that the halal certification process was transferred from Jakim to the Finance Ministry.

Should Ismail fail to do so within 24 hours, Lim intends to lodge reports with the police, the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) and Islamic authorities over the matter.

Ismail Sabri made the statement during the Himpunan Penyatuan Ummah 2019 gathering in Kuala Lumpur on Friday.

Jakim had countered Ismail Sabri’s claims, saying in a statement by its Corporate Communications Unit: “Jakim denies this statement and confirms that up to now, Jakim and the Islamic religious authorities in the relative states are still responsible for halal certification.”

As Lip Eng rightly said, as a senior politician and former cabinet minister, Ismail Sabri must be held accountable.

Lim said: “He made a false accusation that the halal certification process is under DAP. Now that Jakim has made a statement denying it, it’s very clear that he has misled the public.”

The Star has quoted Ismail Sabri as saying at the HPU on Friday that “although the new government is seen to be led by the Malays, it is indirectly run by DAP”, before going on to claim that the halal logo certification, which had come under Jakim, is now under the Finance Ministry.

“And we all know who runs the Finance Ministry,” he was reported as claiming at the gathering on Friday.

The PAS-UMNO promoters of Himpunan Penyatuan Ummah should demand an unqualified apology from Ismail Sabri as his fake news and hate speech at HPU had contaminated the National Co-operation Charter into a Charter for Fake News and Hate Speech!

)Statement by DAP MP for Iskandar Puteri Lim Kit Siang at the Program Muafakat Rakyat 2019 at Kampong Melayu Baru, Gelang Patah on Monday, 16th September 2019 at 9 am)