KUALA LUMPUR, August 3 – Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim today demanded Utusan Malaysia retract its front-page report today calling the Opposition Leader a traitor to the Malays.
He is also seeking an apology from Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin for the remarks made yesterday at the Sri Gading Umno division meeting.
The DPM's remarks was the basis for the Utusan Malaysia story.
“My client has expressed deep revulsion to such an unwarranted proposition that he is a traitor to his race,” Anwar's lawyer Sankara Nair told reporters at his office here.
“This is wholly untrue and absolutely malicious,” he added.
Nair said that he had sent letters of demand to both parties earlier today seeking a retraction and public apology within seven days.
Anwar also demanded damages of RM100 million each from the publisher of Utusan Malaysia and Muhyiddin.
The Umno deputy president reportedly called Anwar the biggest traitor to the struggle of the Malays. He also accussed the PKR leader of spreading lies in an attempt to discredit Umno for its stand in defending the special rights of the Malays and the monarchy.
“He was a deputy prime minister and Umno deputy president like me today, but now he is trying to fool us to ruin our struggle,” Muhyiddin was quoted as saying by the Umno-owned daily.
He also questioned Anwar's sincerity for not raising the matter when he was in power.
“There is no problem with criticising us, because we are not perfect, but I cannot accept it if the opposition insults or shows disrespect to the Malays,” said Muhyiddin.
Umno leaders and the stable of newspapers under its control has consistently played the race card in an attempt to shore up support among the Malays.
The lynchpin of the Barisan Nasional (BN) has campaigned hard for Malay unity talks with PAS in a move to drive a wedge between PAS and its Pakatan Rakyat (PR) partners.
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