DAP adviser Lim Kit Siang addresses members of the media during a press conference in Brinchang, Cameron Highlands January 24, 2019. — Picture by Farhan Najib

TANAH RATA, Jan 24 — DAP adviser Lim Kit Siang vehemently rejected as “slander” today a viral post alleging he sought the removal of the words “Malay” and “Islam” from the Federal Constitution in a parliamentary motion.

The Iskandar Puteri MP also showed reporters the message that has been shared on social media platforms on his smartphone after a walkabout in Brinchang with Pakatan Harapan (PH) candidate for the Pahang parliamentary seat, M. Manogaran.

“I never tabled in Parliament to drop the Malay and Islam words from the Constitution.

“These are slander and lies made by the Opposition to win votes in the Cameron Highlands by-election. They portray us to the voters as though we are anti-Malay and anti-Islam,” he said.

He then held up his smartphone to show the defamatory post written in Malay. The message read: “Lim Kit Siang tabled a motion in the Dewan Rakyat for the words ‘Islam’ and ‘Malay’ to be dropped from the constitution.”

Lim said he expects such smear tactics to increase ahead of Saturday’s vote and accused the Opposition of employing slander to gain the upper hand.

He advised the public to check the veracity of such claims before sharing them with others.

“Please don’t share the messages or postings you receive in social media without checking the facts. These are the tactics used by the Opposition to instil hatred towards PH,” he said.

He claimed the Opposition had no other issues to rely on for support except for racial and religious controversies.

“In Malay areas, the Opposition via Umno said that DAP is a threat to Malays, and in the Chinese areas, they said that we are a threat to the Chinese by using MCA. How can DAP be anti these two races at the same time? Then what are we?” he asked.

Lim was then asked his comment on being dubbed “minister of Najib affairs” by the former prime minister, to which he quipped: “Better than the king of trolls”.