Najib uses Kit Siang’s past against ‘grandfather of fake news’

Najib Razak posted an image of a collage of books by Lim Kit Siang, to taunt the DAP adviser about ‘fake news’. (Najib Razak Facebook pic)

PETALING JAYA: Former prime minister Najib Razak has brought back the ghost of past scandals to taunt DAP adviser Lim Kit Siang with his own words in a sarcastic response to Lim’s new campaign against “fake news”.

In a series of online postings today, Najib labelled Lim the “grandfather of fake news” and ridiculed him for wanting to host a round-table discussion with the opposition on combating fake news and hate speech.

In a speech in Sandakan, Sabah, yesterday, Lim had issued a challenge to all political parties to take “a united and firm stand” against fake news and hate speech.

“Are the opposition parties prepared to attend a roundtable conference to combat fake news and hate speech? If so, the DAP is prepared to host such a roundtable conference,” he said.

In response, Najib said he wished to make a report to Lim, whom he has characterised as the “Minister for Najib Affairs”, about a media web site which he said frequently carried fake news and hate speech.

He said Lim should investigate who was the editor responsible for an irresponsible article in February 2015 under the byline “Lim Kit Siang” and with the headline “Dr Mahathir, you were the one who created the rot in 22 years as Prime Minister”.

The article concerned was carried by Rocketkini, a DAP organ.

In another posting, Najib posted a image showing a collage of books that Lim had published in the past, on a variety of scandals that took place from the 1980s onwards during the then Barisan Nasional governments, led by Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

“I’m not sure if these books are examples of the fake news that Kit Siang proclaimed, or whether they are actual news,” Najib said. “But I noticed that there has been no action by the Lim Kit Siang Pakatan Harapan government over these issues that Kit Siang used to bring up.”

“This includes the Bank Negara RM33 billion foreign-exchange scandal, on which the PH government has classified as NFA (no further action) in July without any protest from Kit Siang,” he said.

The collage shows books relating to Bank Bumiputera Malaysia, Operation Lallang, MIC president Samy Vellu and the Maika scandal, Felcra, and constitutional crises in Malaysia.

“If these constitute ‘fake news’ the PH government should bring this mischievous editor to court,” he said.

In addition, Najib also listed a string of statements and headlines relating to Lynas, BR1M welfare aid, the “Cash is King” slogan used against Najib himself before, claims of 40,000 Bangladesh ghost voters, allegations that Najib was responsible for the murders of Altantuya Shaariibuu, government prosecutor Kevin Morais, former DAP aide Teoh Beng Hock, former Arab-Malaysian Bank founder Hussain Najadi, the Scorpene scandal, and various other allegations that Najib and BN had stolen government funds.

He posed the question to Kit Siang: “Who is responsible for all this fake news?” - FMT