By Shazwan Mustafa Kamal
November 03, 2010
Malaysian Insider
KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 3- The DAP said today that it will initiate legal action against Melaka Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam as well as Umno-owned daily Berita Harian for making false allegations against DAP veteran Lim Kit Siang.
DAP national chairman Karpal Singh demanded that Ali Rustam as well as Berita Harian “ retract and apologize unconditionally” for claiming that Lim had uttered seditious remarks during a PAS ceramah in Sungai Terah, Gua Musang.
“In lieu of the seriousness of the allegations made against Lim Kit Siang, I’ve been instructed as the party legal advisor to take action against Berita Harian and the CM of Melaka, Ali Rustam. It’s a very serious matter in that it adverts to something is very sensitive and something which can be abused… Berita Harian should be responsible. In fact a police report will be lodged against Berita Harian for publishing false news. This is an offence under the Printing Press and Publications Act (PPPA) 1984,” Karpal told reporters today.
Umno-owned daily Berita Harian, in a news report dated yesterday had accused Lim of saying “orang Umno kafir” (Umno members are infidels) during a PAS ceramah in Sungai Terah, to “influence Malays to vote for PAS” for the 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.
Lim had earlier this morning denied uttering the remarks, and maintained that he was not even present at the function.
“This is a slanderous accusation…I never said this and I was not even there (at the ceramah). This is a twisted and irresponsible plot to spread racial and religious hatred,” Lim told reporters earlier.
Besides that, Karpal added that he was preparing a writ summons to be served to Ali Rustam as well as Berita Harian in the “next few days.”
He said that even if the Malay daily or Ali Rustam came out with an open apology, legal action would still take place.
“If they retract or apologize, that does not mean an action cannot proceed in court. It can. Damages, the retraction and apology will be taken into account. If they don’t apologize, then the damages will be increased.
“Their retraction and apology is not a defense. It is only taken into account in assessment of damages, it is not a defense. In fact it is an admission,” said the lawyer-cum-politician.
It is understood that Putrajaya Umno Youth had lodged a police report against Lim over the Berita Harian report.
“I also want to take the opportunity to warn UMNO Youth not to lodge reports that are false. In fact the police should take action against UMNO Youth for lodging false reports,” said Karpal.
The DAP lawyer said that the party did not want a precedent set whereby individuals would be able to get away with making defamatory allegations.
“It’s not so much the damages, it’s a matter of principle. We don’t want a precedent set where with impunity, people can make statements that are defamatory towards leaders in Pakatan Rakyat,” said Karpal.
Malaysia is full of cartoons jokes.Chia sai lah! those goons!!!
Chia sai lang also can become CM. LKS was not even present at the ceremah where those chia sai lang claimed he made the ”kafir” remark. I just cannot understand why these UMNOB leaders are so stupid. Most claim to have big paper qualifications, but by the stupid way they talk and act, I doubt very much.
Ali Rustam should understand that such race-card tactics are outdated.
Aren’t they proven to be “kafirs” for making slanderous remarks against a fellow human being ? There is a punishment against “fitnah” but I don’t think UMNOputras worry about the consequences of such an act.
I don’t think that a politician as savvy and urbane as Kit would ever utter such seditious remarks. Only those who are misled by UMNO’s incessant lies would be taken in by Mohd Ali’s wild allegations against Kit. Just recently, he declared that Melaka had become a developed state and a state wide holiday was declared. May be later he would declare Bukit Baru (his constituency) a developed town and declare a week’s holiday for the town folks.
Would you line up under the hot sun if mca starts giving away RM100 each? Even if the money is from gambling sources?
http://malaysiakini.com/news/147217
You seriously think that they will apologise to a pendatang ?
Stupid umno people. Making stupid remarks. Lodging stupid police reports.
Now. Time to yak chiu. Go and eat some bananas bozos.
Of late police reports have become bizarre, ridiculous and utterly stupid.
UMNO and Perkasa will lodge a report even when a man bites a dog.
And the police will pounce on the man and hold him in the lock up overnight for interrogation. Of course the man must be from Pakatan or a non-Malay.
Ali Rascal has done it again. shooting from his backside. no wonder things out from his mouth are mostly brainless and stinky.
oyyy ali…go take care of your kindergarten for teenage moms la..ok?
It boggles the mind how these morons can stoop to such low levels. Bribing voters, phantom voters, suspect postal votes, buying over “frogs” etc. all these are dirty tricks but at least not displaying their crass stupidity. But to accuse a man of saying something when he wasn’t even there? That must be the height of desperation. And we have been repeatedly asked by BN Govt to believe the MSM and not the blogoshere? Is Utusan not a mainstay of MSM or UMNO’s MSM? So by extension if UTUSAN lies, it means simply UMNO also lies. And if UMNO lies about such things, can we believe any other things they try to tell us? Not that I believed any of those lies they have been dishing out as I have given up a long time ago believing such crap.
Heaven sake >>>Malaysia has becoming more lawlessness nowadays…its been moving away from democracy into Copy-cat authoritarian Discriminational Racist Ritual ruling too stubbornly blinded with NO clear understanding of its prinsip.
I can predict and easily doubt anone of BN Moron lawmakers know about the reality of Authoritharian principle.
Kudos to PR DAP Team…
PR DAP must take up Strong legal actions to condemn Umno Supremacy and Rule No longer Valid in Seditious BolaMelayulan …allah seditious Garbarge In-Out University Eduaction system rubbishings.
Hidup PR x3
If Rustam is Malaysia’s political Al Capone, who is Malaysia’s political Elliot Ness? Sdr. Lim or Karpal Singh?
MAR has 2 b like dat mah in order 2 raise his imej in UmnoB 2 prepare 4 his ultimate grabbing of a top post in UmnoB
MAR fr Melaka wants 2 b d modern day laksamana Hang Tuah, u know
/// “In lieu of the seriousness of the allegations made against Lim Kit Siang… ///
In view of the seriousness of the allegations, I am going to sue their pants off.
In lieu of the seriousness of the allegations, pay me RM100 million, and I will drop the suit (not the pants).
MAR will happily give u his pants lah
Panties n lingerie too, nah take, down 2 his bare necessities