DAP parliamentary leader Lim Kit Siang has challenged Umno information chief Annuar Musa to a joint press conference within the next 48 hours.
This comes after Annuar rejected Lim's offer to speak at the party's information sessions on the 1990s foreign exchange (forex) scandal yesterday.
He had said that Umno does not welcome at its events those who do not uphold the Federal Constitution and Rukunegara and disrespect syariah law and Islam.
"Does Annuar know that he had told eight lies in his statement yesterday?
"I am prepared to point out the eight lies in his statement in a joint media conference by the both of us.
"Annuar can just name the place and time within the next 48 hours and I will be there," Lim said in a statement today.
But, he added, Annuar (photo) may belong to a "special class of politicians" in Malaysia who is not aware of the lies in their statements.
If this is true, Lim said this could be why Annuar was doing such a "lousy job" as Umno information chief.
"In any event, Annuar has loaded my lawyers with extra work as they will have to study Annuar’s vicious, defamatory and false accusations to consider the possibility of legal proceedings," he said.
He described Annuar's accusations against him regarding his not upholding the constitution and Rukunegara and disrespect of syariah law and Islam as wild and baseless.
"Let me re-state my political creed in my 51 years in Malaysian politics.
"I had always been guided by one principle, to serve all Malaysian's regardless of race, religion or socio-economic background," Lim said.
As such, no one can claim to be truly Malaysian if he is against any race in Malaysia, he said.
This is why, he said, in all his years in politics, he has never accused anyone of being against any race, as he would be challenging their very core existence as a Malaysian.
Malaysia's diversity of races, languages, religions and cultures is the nation's greatest strength and asset, he said.
Annuar has personified the "antithesis" of a model Malaysian, illustrated through Annuar's statement against him, Lim added.
"Annuar's statement is 'must study' by all Malaysians, regardless of race, religion or political affiliation, for it is a statement no patriotic Malaysian should ever make; steeped with venom, hatred, distrust, prejudice even lies and deceit," he said.
Lim also said DAP has never been anti-Malay or anti-Islam, pointing to the example of then Kota Melaka MP Lim Guan Eng, who was jailed in 1994 for "defending the honour of an underaged Malay Muslim girl".
"Has any Umno leader sacrified his political career for the honour and dignity of a Malay or Muslim, let alone cross the racial and religious divide to defend the rights and honour of a non-Malay or non-Muslim citizen?" he questioned.- Mkini
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