Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng will sue Umno-owned daily Utusan Malaysia for defamation after the newspaper accused the DAP today of being a tool of a foreign government and called for the party to be banned.
The Malay daily also accused Lim of being anti-Malay as it zeroed in on the Penang CM and the DAP a day after the Pakatan Rakyat (PR) convention.
“I have no choice but to take a civil suit for defamation against Utusan,” Lim (picture) told The Malaysian Insider today.
“These are lies printed by Utusan,” he said, adding that the party would also sue the newspaper for defamation.
Today, Utusan Malaysia featured remarks by Umno leaders who, among others, called the DAP the “king of racism”.
There was also an article entitled “Guan Eng’s rudeness” that listed Lim’s alleged anti-Malay acts.
Utusan Malaysia claimed the Penang chief minister had banned a Maulidur Rasul procession, prevented Malay traders from participating in the Ramadan bazaar in Komtar, and demolished various villages.
“They said I banned the Maulidur Rasul (celebrations), but I never did that,” said Lim.
“They said I stopped the Pasar Ramadan in Komtar, but no, it still went on. I (also) never tore down any villages,” he added.
The DAP secretary-general pointed out that the demolition of Kampung Buah Pala was a result of a court order.
“It has nothing to do with the state government,” said Lim.
The Malay daily also alleged that Lim used gambling revenue to fund compassionate payments to senior citizens, some of whom were Muslims.
“I have explained to them that we did not get a single sen from those companies. These are savings from fighting corruption,” said Lim.
The DAP secretary-general also pointed out that the Malay daily failed to prove their allegations against the party.
“This is very immoral. These are lies that we want to rebut,” said Lim. “Where is their proof?”
Umno vice-president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi was also quoted by Utusan Malaysia as saying the DAP a tool of a foreign power.
“Guan Eng should ask himself if DAP is a true political party that represents Malaysians, or whether... it wants to be a tool of a foreign country by hiding behind democracy,” Ahmad Zahid was quoted as saying.
Utusan Malaysia also reported Bayan Baru MP Datuk Seri Zahrain Hashim as claiming that the DAP worshipped Singapore.
