'Killer' lawyers not DAP members
Its publicity chief Tony Pua described the allegation as a disgusting attempt by Umno and its newspaper Utusan Malaysia to discredit the opposition party.
“We want to set the record straight. Both suspects were not members of DAP at any point of time,” he said in a statement today.
“Even if they were members of a political party, their political affiliation has no relation to the crime they are alleged to have committed. A crime is a crime, and even Umno has its own leader who was found guilty of murder,” he added.
Responding to a report in Utusan yesterday, the Petaling Jaya Utara MP urged Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak to put a leash on his party's slanderous mouthpiece.
“Utusan has continued its campaign to slander Pakatan Rakyat, in particular DAP, with baseless allegations and insinuations with the specific intent to poison the minds of its readers and sow the seeds of racial hatred,” he said.
The Utusan report had quoted one Mohd Zahid Md Arip as asking if DAP's silence over the murders lent creedence to the allegation that the main suspect was a life-member of the party.
The report read:
Dalam pada itu, Mohd. Zahid mempersoalkan kenapa DAP langsung tidak bersuara bagi mengutuk pembunuhan kejam tersebut, sedangkan sebelum ini parti berkenaan gah mendakwa organisasi mereka sebagai sebuah parti yang memperjuangkan hak semua pihak.
(Why has DAP not criticised these ghastly murders, especially when the party claims to champion the rights of all quarters)
Apakah tindakan membisu ini mempunyai kaitan dengan dakwaan yang mengatakan bahawa suspek utama adalah ahli seumur hidup parti tersebut. Jika benar (dakwaan itu), ternyata DAP sebuah parti hipokrit yang hanya memperjuangkan kepentingan kaum tertentu sahaja.
(Is the party silent because of the allegation that the main suspect is a DAP life member. If this is true, then it is clear that DAP is a hyocritical party which only champions the rights of one race)
'Sad' Najib must act
Meanwhile, Pua said DAP condemned all crimes and has been at the forefront both in and out of Parliament to call on the police to increase its efficiency and effectiveness in fighting crime.
“It is the Barisan Nasional government which has been pleased with the crime situation here which escalated to record levels before declining recently according to official statistics,” he said.
“The unethical and downright unscrupulous attempt by Utusan to use any opportunity to slander and publish lies about DAP with the sole intent to incite racial hatred among its largely Malay readers signifies the utter desperation of Umno leaders to maintain their hold on power, even if it means using immoral means,” he added.
Despite its obvious transgressions, Pua pointed out that the prime minister had repeatedly defended Utusan.
“Last September, he held a 'buka puasa' function at the Sri Utusan Printing Complex and hailed Utusan for 'ethical and unbiased' reporting.
“Earlier this month, he told the public while breaking fast at the New Straits Times headquarters to 'trust the mainstream media and not the alternative media which are based on half truths',” he added.
Referring to Najib's Malaysia Day message, the DAP leader said the premier should not stop at expressing sadness over the rise of extremism in the country without naming the guilty parties.
“He should openly reprimand those who repeatedly lie and slander to harness the the feelings of ill-will and extremism among the rakyat, especially Umno's own Utusan Malaysia.
“Najib's failure to act will not only mean a blanket approval for Utusan to continue its reckless actions but also the height of irresponsibility by jettisoning of his own 1Malaysia goal,” he added.
Pua also revealed that DAP had instructed its lawyers to look into the Utusan report and take the necessary action, including filing a lawsuit.
