Dewan Rakyat deputy speaker Rashid Hasnon today warned that he may take legal action after a speech he delivered at an event earlier today led to a misunderstanding with Deputy Prime Minister Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail.

In a statement today, Rashid said he was invited to the launch of the event organised by Xiddig Cellular Communications Sdn Bhd in his capacity as the former Penang deputy chief minister, and not as a representative of Wan Azizah.

"I arrived at the event early to hear the deputy prime minister speak. I was never scheduled to speak, what more to officiate the function, as I had to rush off the Parliament as soon as the deputy prime minister finished her speech to receive a delegation from the Azad Jammu and Kashmir legislature.

"When the event started, the organiser informed me that the deputy prime minister could not make it due to unavoidable reasons, and asked that I deliver the speech," his statement read.

"I was given a speech text by the organiser as a reference. I strongly deny that I was representing the deputy prime minister at the ceremony.

"Any claims that I represented the deputy prime minister is intended to confuse."

The speech, which was said to be by the deputy prime minister, was later circulated to the press.

Read more: DPM's office says her name misused in speech on high-speed broadband

Wan Azizah's office later issued a statement claiming that her name had been misused.

Rashid urged the organiser to clarify the matter or face legal action.

"I call on the organiser to immediately rectify the situation and clear my name from the confusion.

"If the organiser does not issue any clarification or denial, I will not hesitate to consider legal action against them," he said.

The event was to launch the Enhanced Malaysia International Internet Gateway (EM-IIG) High-Speed Broadband project.

The EM-IIG project, developed by Xiddig Cellular Communications, is intended to provide "the fastest internet access speed with the 5G platform" through the installation of the world's largest optical fibre involving 110,000km line.

The speech had said the government would provide full cooperation on the implementation of the EM-IIG project.

However, the deputy prime minister's office said this was untrue.

"Wan Azizah did not, at any time, say the government would provide its full cooperation for the implementation of the EM-IIG project.

"Using the deputy prime minister's name without her permission is not something she takes lightly.

"Organisations are warned not to use or distribute material using the deputy prime minister's name without her permission," it said.