UMNO leaders who relied on misleading articles about Malaysian billionaire Robert Kuok published by blogger Raja Petra Kamaruddin to attack DAP must be held responsible for their actions, said Kulai MP Teo Nie Ching.

She fingered Tourism and Culture Minister Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz and Deputy Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Minister Tajuddin Abdul Rahman as the ones who should apologise for their “gangster-like attitude”.

Teo pointed out that the order to remove the articles from the Malaysia-Today blog by the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission only confirmed that the articles were false.

“The two should also apologise to Kuok as the words used against him were uncouth and totally uncalled for.

“In fact, even after Robert Kuok’s office issued a statement to deny all allegations that he was funding DAP to topple the ruling BN government, Nazri expressed no remorse for his actions.

“They must be held responsible for their gangster-like attitude,” Teo told a press conference at Parliament today.

MCMC had yesterday ordered Malaysia Today and its owner Raja Petra Kamarudin to remove three articles which alleged that Kuok had given cash contributions to DAP with the aim of overthrowing the ruling Barisan Nasional government.

The three articles – “Robert Kuok wants Chinese rule in Malaysia”, “Malaysian Insight funder fingered” and “Robert Kuok’s last chance at changing the government” – published on February 21 and 23 were to be taken down by today.

This move, said the MCMC, came about after the commission received complaints regarding the articles.

MCMC found them to be in violation of Section 233 of the Communication and Multimedia Act, which criminalises use of the Internet for communications that are “obscene, indecent, false, menacing or offensive in character with intent to annoy, abuse, threaten or harass another person”.

Teo said apart from asking Raja Petra to remove the articles, the country’s internet regulator should also charge Raja Petra under the same section.

In a separate press conference, DAP parliamentary leader Lim Kit Siang said Raja Petra had also published several articles that defamed the party.

“So is MCMC going to ask Raja Petra to take down all the articles to show that MCMC is independent, professional and efficient?” he said. 

Raja Petra created a storm with his posts claiming Hong Kong-based billionaire Kuok is funding DAP to topple the BN government at the next general election.

Kuok and DAP denied the blogger’s allegations, which triggered a series of attacks on Kuok by Umno leaders including party secretary-general Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor and Supreme Council member Nazri Aziz, whose name-calling led to a spat between him and Barisan Nasional component MCA. – March 6, 2018.