Steven Sim says ready to be sued over ‘racist' claim against PAS leader after attack on Chinese army officer
KUALA LUMPUR, June 27 — Human Resources Minister Steven Sim has reportedly stood firm on his accusations against Sungai Buloh PAS chief Zaharudin Muhammad, whom he had called racist for a remark on Malaysian Armed Forces lieutenant-general Datuk Johnny Lim Eng Seng.
After the son-in-law of PAS president Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang threatened to sue, Sim said he was merely speaking out against a racist act and defended the Armed Forces.
'I will not back down from confronting this PAS leader who is being racist, discriminatory, and insulting towards our soldiers,' Sim was quoted saying by Malaysiakini.
'If I am to be sued for defending multiracial harmony and the armed forces' dignity, then I am ready! I await the legal letter from his lawyer.'
This comes after Zaharudin said he will consult his lawyer whether to take legal action against Sim, or news aggregator portal World of Buzz for allegedly 'spinning' his words.
He also insisted that he had deleted his original post not because he was afraid of any legal consequences, but because he had received hostile responses from alleged cybertroopers.
https://www.facebook.com/StevenSimCK/posts/pfbid0ohLmnQpntyj3qp7waso1jZTDcmmbS4JkfQHij9NmnUAxBfP8q1hx1m6xvwBV2agql
On Wednesday, Sim posted on Facebook that Lim's long-standing service should be recognised, not questioned, and described the attack by Zaharudin as 'racist, seditious, and treasonous'.
Sim said Zaharudin's remark also appeared to undermine the Armed Forces and the trust of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, who is the Supreme Commander.
Lim's promotion had marked a historic milestone, as he became the first ethnic Chinese officer to be promoted to the rank of lieutenant-general in the armed forces.
In response, Zaharudin had speculated that Malaysia's 50th prime minister in 2058 could be a Chinese individual, framing the scenario as a possible outcome of Lim's promotion.
The post, which also compared the Malaysia's immigration policies to the Zionist settlement of Palestine, was then deleted.
Islamist party PAS has since said it does not support the social media post by one of its leaders on the promotion, saying it was the personal opinion of the individual involved and 'entirely contrary' to PAS' policies and values.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Bloomberg
3 hours ago
- Bloomberg
Vietnam Passes Law to Tackle Bank Crisis, Resolving Bad Debts
Vietnam's parliament passed a revised law on credit institutions, bolstering the central bank's authority to ensure the safety of the banking system while offering long-awaited legal clarity for commercial lenders to resolve non-performing loans. Under the legislation, which was approved by the National Assembly Friday and takes effect from Oct. 15, the State Bank of Vietnam is authorized to provide special unsecured loans with zero lending rates to troubled banks - a power previously held by the Prime Minister.
New York Times
5 hours ago
- New York Times
Your Cat's Food Probably Comes From Thailand. Tariffs May Change That.
Over nearly 60 years and two generations, Chatchai Lertviwatkul's family business in Thailand was transformed from a manufacturer of leather gloves to a producer of pet food and treats, with a third of its products shipped to the United States from a modest factory on the outskirts of Bangkok. So when Mr. Lertviwatkul learned in April that President Trump wanted to impose a 36 percent tariff on goods from Thailand, he was stunned. What would that mean for his company, S.I.P. Siam Inter Pacific, and the country's pet food export industry? After a decade of rapid growth, Thailand is now the biggest overseas supplier of pet food to the United States, accounting for more than one-third of all imported cat and dog food. As Thailand and dozens of other countries near the end of a 90-day rollback of punishing tariffs to negotiate a permanent deal, Mr. Lertviwatkul, 52, said the shock had worn off, but the future of the company's American business remained unclear. 'We need to see how the Thai government will negotiate,' he said, speaking above the hum of a factory churning out lickable cat treats for a Canadian customer and mint-flavored dog snacks in the shape of a toothbrush. 'We need to wait and see,' he added. 'There's nothing much we can do.' Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
Yahoo
7 hours ago
- Yahoo
Pritam Singh says he's not aiming to be Singapore's next prime minister; Singapore construction family of 4 charged with bribery: Singapore live news
Workers' Party chief Pritam Singh may be a formidable opposition leader, but his sights aren't set on becoming Singapore's next prime minister. In an episode of popular Malaysian political podcast Keluar Sekejap that was uploaded to YouTube on Tuesday (24 June), Singh said his role was to "normalise the idea of an opposition". He said, "I have to have a good finger on the pulse of Singaporeans, I've got to understand what they want. And I've got to understand how they respond to language which reflects ambition." A couple and their two sons behind a family-run construction firm were charged on 26 June for allegedly giving over $56,000 in bribes to property and condominium managers to advance their business interests. Ong Chin Kee, 66, and his wife Lea Lam Moy, also 66, both directors of OCL Building Services, were charged alongside their sons – project director Jovi Ong Teng Hong, 36, and general manager Jordan Ong Wei How, 30. Each family member faces 17 corruption charges under the Prevention of Corruption Act, said the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB). Read more in our live blog below, including the latest local and international news and updates. A couple and their two sons behind a family-run construction firm were charged on 26 June for allegedly giving over $56,000 in bribes to property and condominium managers to advance their business interests. Ong Chin Kee, 66, and his wife Lea Lam Moy, also 66, both directors of OCL Building Services, were charged alongside their sons – project director Jovi Ong Teng Hong, 36, and general manager Jordan Ong Wei How, 30. Each family member faces 17 corruption charges under the Prevention of Corruption Act, said the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB). The alleged offences took place between 2018 and 2022 and involved $56,260 to secure advantages for OCL, a company primarily dealing in building construction and upgrading works. Its secondary business activity is listed as painting and decorating. CPIB also revealed that Ong Chin Kee is facing an additional four charges for allegedly obstructing justice. Between June and November 2023, he is said to have instigated individuals to alter their statements to CPIB. He also tipped off two others about the CPIB's investigation into both the family and the company. Meanwhile, five individuals who allegedly received the bribes were also charged on the same day. For more on the Singapore construction family bribery, read here. Workers' Party chief Pritam Singh may be a formidable opposition leader, but his sights aren't set on becoming Singapore's next prime minister. In an episode of popular Malaysian political podcast Keluar Sekejap that was uploaded to YouTube on Tuesday (24 June), Singh said his role was to "normalise the idea of an opposition". The podcast is hosted by former Malaysian health minister Khairy Jamaluddin and Shahril Hamdan, previously UMNO's information chief. Khairy referenced a previous conversation he had with Singh where he had expressed the same sentiment that he didn't see himself as an "alternative prime minister", and questioned if there was a "lack of ambition". "I have to have a good finger on the pulse of Singaporeans, I've got to understand what they want. And I've got to understand how they respond to language which reflects ambition,' replied Singh. "If that language is not in sync with their broad understanding of what they want out of politics in Singapore, then ambition can be a death knell for any politician in Singapore." Singh in 2019 established that the party's medium-term objective was to contest and win one-third of the seats in parliament. He added, "If we accept that Singaporeans are pragmatic, and that there's no demand for a change of government, then going out there flying a flag which says 'I am your prime minister in waiting' is probably, with respect, an act of foolishness." For more on Pritam Singh's interview, read here. A couple and their two sons behind a family-run construction firm were charged on 26 June for allegedly giving over $56,000 in bribes to property and condominium managers to advance their business interests. Ong Chin Kee, 66, and his wife Lea Lam Moy, also 66, both directors of OCL Building Services, were charged alongside their sons – project director Jovi Ong Teng Hong, 36, and general manager Jordan Ong Wei How, 30. Each family member faces 17 corruption charges under the Prevention of Corruption Act, said the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB). The alleged offences took place between 2018 and 2022 and involved $56,260 to secure advantages for OCL, a company primarily dealing in building construction and upgrading works. Its secondary business activity is listed as painting and decorating. CPIB also revealed that Ong Chin Kee is facing an additional four charges for allegedly obstructing justice. Between June and November 2023, he is said to have instigated individuals to alter their statements to CPIB. He also tipped off two others about the CPIB's investigation into both the family and the company. Meanwhile, five individuals who allegedly received the bribes were also charged on the same day. For more on the Singapore construction family bribery, read here. Workers' Party chief Pritam Singh may be a formidable opposition leader, but his sights aren't set on becoming Singapore's next prime minister. In an episode of popular Malaysian political podcast Keluar Sekejap that was uploaded to YouTube on Tuesday (24 June), Singh said his role was to "normalise the idea of an opposition". The podcast is hosted by former Malaysian health minister Khairy Jamaluddin and Shahril Hamdan, previously UMNO's information chief. Khairy referenced a previous conversation he had with Singh where he had expressed the same sentiment that he didn't see himself as an "alternative prime minister", and questioned if there was a "lack of ambition". "I have to have a good finger on the pulse of Singaporeans, I've got to understand what they want. And I've got to understand how they respond to language which reflects ambition,' replied Singh. "If that language is not in sync with their broad understanding of what they want out of politics in Singapore, then ambition can be a death knell for any politician in Singapore." Singh in 2019 established that the party's medium-term objective was to contest and win one-third of the seats in parliament. He added, "If we accept that Singaporeans are pragmatic, and that there's no demand for a change of government, then going out there flying a flag which says 'I am your prime minister in waiting' is probably, with respect, an act of foolishness." For more on Pritam Singh's interview, read here.
