State govt wants action against Utusan

In a letter to the home minister, the Penang CM says Utusan must retract its report and action must be taken against the staff involved in the 'Christian plot' report.

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KUALA LUMPUR: The Penang state government has called upon Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein to take stern action against Utusan Malaysia.

In an official letter to Hishammuddin today, Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said this was an unanimous decision made by the state exco this morning.

“The decision was made following the confessions of two Umno assemblymen Hilmi Yahya (Teluk Bahang) dan Muhammad Farid Saad (Pulau Betong) in the state assembly yesterday that they don’t believe in the existence of a Christian conspiracy.

“Since two Umno assemblymen don’t believe the report published by a newspaper owned by Umno, it is clear that Utusan reported a dangerous lie.

“The severity of this dangerous lie is apparent in the high number of police reports filed by Umno leaders against this alleged Christian conspiracy,” he added.

Last Saturday, Utusan Malaysia published a front-page report alleging that DAP and Christian leaders were conspiring to make Christianity the official religion in this country.

The report, based on the unsubstantiated claims of two pro-Umno bloggers, also accused the groups of praying for a Christian prime minister.

Both DAP and Christian leaders had denied the allegation.

Harsh words against the CM



In his letter to Hishammuddin, Lim also touched on the protest held by Penang Umno Youth on May 8 regarding this issue as well as against the opening of a free alternative road in Jalan Bagan 29-Jalan Siram.
“Umno Youth can take the stand of wanting a tolled road, but the state government believes that an alternative road must be provided… This is the spirit of democracy whch has differing views.

“But it is wrong and dangerous for Penang Umno Youth to hold a protest with harsh words against the chief minister for being involved in the alleged Christian conspiracy,” he said.

“Protesting against such a slander is not democracy but a brash action which can have an adverse impact on the nation’s security,” he added.

Lim said despite Christian leaders and organisations denying the allegation, Utusan had failed to retract the report and apologise.

Instead, he added, the daily continued to play up the issue.

“Now, this false report has spread widely and is causing concern among the people as it threatens the harmony between the difference races and religious groups

“The state government supports freedom of the press, but this does not mean the freedom to lie and slander. This is a false report done with bad intention” he said.

Lim said apart from ordering Utusan to retract its report, Hishammuddin must also take stern action against the newspaper and its staff who were involved.

Meeting with PM
Meanwhile, FMT learnt that Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak will be meeting with Christian leaders tomorrow to ease the tension created by the Utusan report.

In another development, Penang PAS today lodged a police report against Utusan Malaysia for publishing “provocative news”.

The report said that the news on the alleged Christian plot was aimed at creating ethnic and religious tension in the country.

The report was lodged by a state party leader Ab Rahman Kassim at the Patani  Road police station. Also present was Parit Buntar MP Mujahid Yusof Rawa.