KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 26 — Utusan Malaysia is admitting its error in a report alleging that DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng blocked the screening of the film “Tanda Putera” in Penang to “hide” a scene ostensibly of a party leader in the movie.
Outside Parliament today, DAP chairman Karpal Singh said the party yesterday accepted the Umno-controlled paper’s offer to print an apology and withdraw the report.
“Utusan Malaysia has agreed to apologise to both Lim Kit Siang and Lim Guan Eng on the report which appeared in Utusan on September 7,” Karpal told reporters today at the Parliament lobby.
On September 7, the Malay-language daily carried a report titled “Cuba sembunyi kebiadaban DAP” (Try to hide DAP’s rudeness).
The report claimed that Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng had attempted to block the screening of “Tanda Putera” in the state’s cinemas to allegedly hide the rude action of a DAP leader.
The DAP leader was identified by the report as Lim Kit Siang, which it said had allegedly urinated in front of the then Selangor mentri besar’s residence during the riots in May 13, 1969.
Kit Siang, who was also present at the media conference today, also called for Utusan to practise responsible journalism.
“We don’t expect Utusan to be biased in favour of DAP and PR but at least it must be honest and truthful and stop producing lies and falsehood,” DAP’s parliamentary leader said.
Lim had previously said that he was not present in Kuala Lumpur during the May 13 riots.
Today, Karpal slammed the alleged urination scene as a “lie” and expressed his hope that Utusan will not repeat its error.
“Utusan should be ashamed of itself and I hope Utusan will turn to better ways and report the truth,” he said.
Karpal said the retraction notice and apology to the two DAP leaders must be published in the same size and given similar prominence as the September 7 report.
He referred to the terms in a September 13 letter from Utusan Malaysia to his law firm, in which the paper set down a three-paragraph apology and retraction when it admitted the September 7 report was “wrong”.
According to Karpal, a date for the publication of the apology has yet to be fixed.
He also said the planned legal suit will not be filed against Utusan Malaysia, following their offer of apology.
“We are making this gesture for the last time and make it very clear to Utusan Malaysia that we will not sit back,” Karpal said.
“Tanda Putera”, which was released last month, had been criticised for its controversial depiction of the events surrounding the May 13, 1969 racial riots.
The film reportedly features a scene of an ethnic Chinese man urinating on a flagpole at the then-Selangor mentri besar’s residence.
But the film’s production company, Pesona Pictures, had said that Lim Kit Siang was not featured in the film.
