DAP chairman Lim Guan Eng is under police investigation over his alleged remark regarding the destruction of temples if Perikatan Nasional (PN) wins Penang in the state elections.

Bukit Aman Criminal Investigation Department deputy director G.S. Suresh Kumar said the investigation was launched following several reports lodged against Lim.

His remark was published by news portal MalaysiaNow on July 8.

Suresh said in a statement that Lim’s remark was alleged to have touched on “3R” issues, by alleging that the “green wave’ will destroy temples and deny religious rights in Penang.

The 3R refers to race, religion and royalty issues.

Suresh said Lim allegedly made the remark while speaking at the Tian Fu Gong Bai Long Wang Singapore-Malaysia Tour 2023 programme in Tokong Batu, Jelutong, Penang on July 7.

He said the investigation is being conducted under section 4(1) of the Sedition Act 1948, section 505(b) of the penal code and section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998.

The MalaysiaNow report is a translation of the original report in Chinese by China Press.

Following the report, PN Youth chief Ahmad Fadhli Shaari ordered coalition members to lodge police reports nationwide against Lim for being racially provocative.

Lim has responded by saying that he had been wrongly quoted by China Press and MalaysiaNow.

He said he had never mentioned Chinese or Buddhist temples in Penang, but had instead mentioned the demolition of a Hindu temple in Kedah in 2020. – July 9, 2023.