Cops open probe on Guan Eng’s ‘war on non-Malays’ statement

SEBERANG PERAI, March 12 — The police have opened investigation papers on Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng over his alleged remarks that the recent official alliance between Umno and PAS was a “war” on non-Malays.

Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Mohamad Fuzi Harun said police received 58 reports nationwide on this issue as at two days ago.

“We had already opened investigation papers into it when police reports were lodged last week,” he told reporters in a press conference after presenting the Pingat Jasa Pahlawan Negara (PJPN) medals to 335 police officers and personnel at the Seberang Prai Selatan district police headquarters here today.

He said the finance minister has yet to be called in to give his statement.

“We will call him in to have his statement recorded if the need arises,” he said.

He said the case will be investigated under Seksyen 505(c) of the Penal Code for publishing a statement with intent to incite a community to commit an offence against another community.

He said the police will investigate the case in full and record the necessary statements before referring it to the Deputy Public Prosecutor for further action.

He believed more may lodge reports against the DAP secretary-general, saying the police could not stop the public from lodging police reports.

As for accusations that the police were slow in investigating the case, he said the police had started investigating the case as soon as the first police report was lodged.

Lim was quoted in Malaysiakini on March 6 as saying that the Umno-PAS union was a declaration of “war” on non-Malays.

The portal then revised the article with an editor’s note that Lim had corrected his earlier statement.