Kit Siang denies calling Umno 'kafir': I was not even there

Lim slams Berita Harian, Ali Rustam - no laughing matter

KUALA LUMPUR - An outraged Lim Kit Siang denied uttering seditious remarks during aceramah in Sungai Terah, Gua Musang, saying 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,” Kit Siang told reporters.

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 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.

“What is said is that when Lim accused Umno Malays of being 'kafir', PAS members greeted his remarks with shouts of 'Allahuakbar'. Should we support this party which has deviated from Islam’s true teachings?” said Ali Rustam during a function in Kampung Baru Hulu.

Kit Siang said today that since the “false” news report, Umno Youth Putrajaya had lodged a police report against him.

“I myself will lodge a police report in Gua Musang and will instruct my lawyer to take action against Ali Rustam for defamation,” said Kit Siang.

Meanwhile, DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng, who was at the press conference, demanded that Berita Harian withdraws the report and issues an apology.

“No DAP leader has ever said Umno is kafir. We are not Muslims, so how we say someone is kafir?” Guan Eng noted. - Malaysian Insider, Malaysiakini