DAP to sue Utusan over Sosilawti murder connection

Lim Guan Eng

Malaysia Chronicle

DAP will file a defamation suit against Umno-owned Utusan Malaysia for linking it to the suspects in the murder of cosmetics millionaire Sosilawati, the party’s secretary-general Lim Guan Eng said on Friday.

“Utusan Malaysia has become like Shin Bet, like Mossad. They are out to kill – not people but reputations. This is now their strategy – to fitnah or defame and to create hatred amongst the Malays for DAP. We condemn their irresponsible, immoral and unethical behavior,” Guan told a press conference, referring to two Israeli secret services.

Because DAP did not offer condolences

In a separate statement, DAP information chief Tony Pua had refuted the Utusan allegations that the suspects were DAP life members.

The Malay daily had quoted Mohd Zahid Md Arip in making the connection between DAP and the Sosilawati suspects on the basis that DAP had not condemned the brutal killings. Mohd Zaid is a former PKR Youth member who recently defected to Umno.

“In a report yesterday, Utusan Malaysia quoted a Mohd Zahid Md Arip who tried to implicate DAP as being connected, even if remotely to the ghastly murders of Datuk Sosilawati Lawiya and three others. First of all, the question of DAP not condemning the murders does not arise,” said Tony

“The party condemns all crimes, much more so heinous crimes such as the above and we have been at the forefront both in and outside parliament to call for the Royal Malaysian Police to increase their efficiency and effectiveness in fighting crime in this country. Secondly and more importantly, it is a disgusting attempt by the Umno-owned newspaper to insinuate and allege through its ‘news’ report that the murder suspects are life-members of DAP, with no attempt at all to confirm the veracity of the allegations.”

Politicizing the murder

Sosilawati Lawiya, her driver, banker and lawyer are believed to have been murdered, their bodies burnt and the ashes scattered into a river by two brothers, who are lawyers. It is believed Sosilawait had been carrying RM4 million in cash and that she and her friends were killed over a land transaction with the brothers.

Police have rounded up the suspects and are gathering the final evidence before pressing charges.

“We did not want to comment or offer condolences earlier because we wanted to give the new IGP time to work on the case. But now, Utusan has politicized the murder. We have no choice but to file another summons against them,” Guan Eng said.