EYEBROWS were raised in the Penang state assembly today when an Umno backbencher came to the defence of a DAP assemblyman who was caught up in a war of words with opposition leader Muhammad Fauzi Yusoff (Sg Dua-PN), who is a PAS rep.
Umno and DAP used to be bitter enemies before they united to form the federal government. They have governed Penang together since the state elections in August.
Datuk Seri Reezal Merican Naina Merican (Bertam-BN) defended DAP’s Lim Guan Eng (Air Putih-PH) who was engaged in a fierce debate with Fauzi on his family being falsely linked by Fauzi’s fellow PAS lawmaker to the late Communist leader Chin Peng.
“Look here, two wrongs do not make a right,” Reezal said to Fauzi after the latter showed a booklet – supposedly published by Barisan Nasional (BN) – which allegedly claimed that Lim and his father Lim Kit Siang were relatives of Chin Peng (original name Ong Boon Hua), who was from Perak.
Both Lim and his father were born in Batu Pahat, Johor.
Reezal said it was unbecoming of PAS to harp on the matter when an Umno Youth leader had apologised in 2014 to Perak DAP chairman Nga Kor Ming for making a similar allegation that the latter was part of the communist movement.
“I had a look at the booklet then and it did not make sense. It is sinful to repeat lies or manufacture one out of the blue,” said Reezal.
He recited various Quranic verses to justify why PAS should apologise and move on from this episode.
Fauzi said he was just stating what his colleague Siti Mastura Mohammad, the MP for Kepala Batas, had used as reference material when she spoke at a rally in Kemaman, Terengganu recently.
A video of her speech has gone viral. It features Siti Mastura alleging that Lim and his father are cousins of Chin Peng and “Singapore chief minister Lim Kuan Yew”, referring to the late Singaporean prime minister.
Lim is the present chairman of DAP while his father is a former chairman of the party.
A visibly upset Lim raised his voice in the assembly, saying that PAS was preaching lies, forcing Speaker Datuk Law Choo Kiang to plead for calm.
Law said such matters should best be discussed in parliament, but he would allow a slight exception since Lim was present.
Lim said politics should be based on facts. He added that he had spoken to Umno president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and his deputy Datuk Seri Mohamed Hasan, and both vehemently denied any knowledge of such a booklet.
Zahid is also the deputy prime minister.
Reezal said he did not understand why PAS wanted to continue with this charade of lies when the matter should have been resolved with a simple apology.
As Lim continued to verbally spar with Fauzi, Law interjected.
Lim pleaded for time, saying that he was “landing” (reaching a conclusion) soon. He asked Fauzi how he would feel if his family was subjected to personal attacks, saying that Islam preaches about doing good and stopping the spread of slander.
Lim’s father has said he plans to sue Siti Mastura for libel over her claims about him. – The Vibes, November 21, 2023.
