Teresa Kok demands Umno leaders, Utusan stop ‘creating lies’ about her

DAP's Seputeh MP Teresa Kok (pic) has asked Umno leaders and Umno-owned daily Utusan Malaysia to stop with their barrage of criticisms against her.

Calling the comments by critics as “irresponsible” and blatant “lies”, Kok said that the daily and Umno politicians are “playing with fire”.

“I call on the Prime Minister to immediately ask Umno leaders and Utusan Malaysia to stop playing with fire and to stop fabricating lies against the DAP,” said Kok in a statement today.

Kok has been the focus of verbal attacks from Utusan following the release of her Chinese New Year video Onederful Malaysia which poked fun on political events in the country.

The Umno mouthpiece in its weekend edition, Mingguan Malaysia, demanded that police act against Kok quickly for the video.

“Awang Selamat’s remarks share a similarity with those who have accused me of insulting the country, race, religion or royalty or our security forces, that is, they make allegations without providing any evidence,” said Kok in defence over allegations in Mingguan Malaysia today.

The satire did not sit well with those within and close to Umno as the issue flared further with a demonstration on Thursday by the Council of Islamic NGOs, comprising groups tied to the ruling party.

Two chickens were slaughtered and its blood smeared on a banner with faces of opposition leaders during the gathering by some 50-odd Muslims who denounced Kok’s video and said that it “threatens the peace and feelings of the Malays”. A RM1,200 reward was also offered to the first person who slaps Kok and provided photographic evidence of their deed.

Home Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has shrugged off the slap reward and said there is no need to investigate the matter. However, the home ministry and the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission are probing Kok over the video after more than 300 police reports were lodged against her.

Although Kok is no stranger to harsh criticisms, she said that she is “shocked” by Housing and Urban Wellbeing Minister Datuk Abdul Rahman Dahlan’s comments on microblogging site Twitter.

“Abdul Rahman‘s comments in his tweets yesterday were most shocking, irresponsible and unacceptable when he not only said ‘you reap what you sow’ but also that the DAP has relentlessly attacked the position of Malays and Muslims,” said Kok.

Abdul Rahman had tweeted yesterday in Bahasa Malaysia to criticise Kok’s video.

"Maybe the DAP don't understand. To Malays, insulting the Agong and Islam is more painful and degrading than a slap,” he said in one tweet.

"Since 2008, the DAP has relentlessly attacked the position of Malays and Islam. When there is a reaction from Malays, the DAP acts as if they are victims. Crazy!" he said in another tweet.

Speaking out, Kok said that DAP is “not anti-royalty” and that the minister had created “the most dangerous and biggest lies” against the party.

“Is he trying to incite the Malays, Muslims and the Royalty against DAP?” said Kok.

“He is playing with fire and is definitely another Minister who is unfit and should resign or be expelled from the Cabinet,” she added.