Kit Siang's lawyer issues letter of demand against Annuar

 

Lim Kit Siang's legal team has served a letter of demand on former minister Annuar Musa over allegations linked to the deadly racial riots on May 13, 1969.

The DAP veteran's lawyer Sangeet Kaur Deo confirmed that they have served the legal letter at Annuar's house this afternoon.

"Pursuant to instructions from our client, we have today served on Annuar at his home address a letter of demand in relation to defamatory comments made by him publicly about our client in his speech in Bachok, Kelantan on July 5, as reported by Malaysiakini on July 7.

"The said comments, which were inflammatory and sensitive in nature, are completely baseless.

"Our client has demanded a retraction, an apology and a sum of damages, failing which, we are instructed to proceed with legal action against Annuar," Sangeet told Malaysiakini.

She added that the legal letter - issued by law firm Karpal Singh & Co - gave Annuar 14 days from today to fulfil Lim's demands.

Malaysiakini is attempting to reach out to Annuar over the matter.

Last week, it was reported that Lim has instructed his lawyers to take action against the former minister.

He chided Annuar, adding that the latter “has joined PAS and the first thing he has done is to emulate PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang to make wild, preposterous and unsubstantiated allegations”.

Lim’s denunciation came after Annuar’s speech on Wednesday night in Bachok, Kelantan, claiming that DAP had a “significant stake” in the riot and was still “fanning the flames for bumiputera and non-bumiputera issues” in Kota Kinabalu even as the killings took place in Kampung Baru, Kuala Lumpur.

In making the allegation, Annuar cited a book that purportedly compiled Lim’s speeches.

However, Lim said the book does not exist.

“There is no such book. It is a figment of Annuar’s imagination. I have instructed my lawyers to institute action to clear my name,” he said in a statement.

‘I was not involved’

Lim said PAS’ use of disinformation and hate speech show that the Islamist party rejects Malaysia’s nation-building principles as laid out in the Federal Constitution and Rukun Negara.

Lim reiterated that he was not involved in the riots, as he was contesting the Bandar Melaka seat in Malacca at the time before flying to Kota Kinabalu to help independent candidates with their campaigning, as polling day for Sabah and Sarawak was held later.

“Annuar did not know, but the police and Special Branch at the time knew.

“And Annuar did know that in my first parliamentary speech in February 1971, I called for the Commission of Inquiry to ‘learn the lessons of May 13 racial riots and the 21 months of National Operations Council rule, and point the solution to a united, just and equal Malaysia’.

“In my speech, I also wanted ‘to find out the cause of the May 13 racial riots’ and make recommendations as to how to prevent a recurrence of the riots and arrest racial polarisation in Malaysia,” he added.

In addition, Lim expressed bemusement at being accused of being a communist.

Describing the allegation as “strange”, the former Iskandar Puteri MP pointed out that the communists boycotted the 1969 general election and wanted him to lose the Bandar Melaka contest. - Mkini