Lee could face Malaysian suit over statement

Lee could face Malaysian suit over statement

KUALA LUMPUR (Agencies): A Malaysian political youth group yesterday said it may sue Singapore Senior Minister Lee Kuan Yew for libel, adding potential injury to the insults they heaped on him a day earlier.

In a rare public apology, Lee, 73, said Thursday he was sorry for saying the Malaysian state of Johor was "notorious for shootings, muggings and car-jackings".

The remark, made in a court affidavit in a libel suit by Lee against Singapore opposition leader Tang Liang Hong, sparked a day of protests Thursday in which Malaysian youths waved placards calling Lee "stupid", "senile" and a "bloody idiot".

"Pemuda (youth) accepts the apology, but at the same time is still considering legal action," the United Malays National Organization (UMNO) youth media officer Hanafiah Man said.

"We are getting legal advice from our panel of lawyers whether we have grounds to sue," Hanafiah said. "Pemuda is serious because we do not want it to be repeated."

Meanwhile Malaysian opposition parties yesterday demanded Singapore senior minister Lee Kuan Yew retract fully his criticisms of Johor, saying his apology was a half-measure.

The Democratic Action Party called for Lee to withdraw his statement, saying "Lee cannot expect the feelings of Malaysians to be appeased by merely issuing an apology."

"An apology without withdrawing the remarks is only a half- measure," said DAP's deputy secretary general Lim Guan Eng.

Another opposition group, the Parti Rakyat Malaysia, demanded Lee expunge the offending paragraphs in his sworn affidavit which were still in black and white if he was sincere in his apology.

Malaysia's Mahathir, 71, a contemporary of Lee's dating back to the time when both countries were united in the Malaysian Federation, said Lee's apology was a small step in the right direction.

Mahathir said he would consult the cabinet on whether to pursue the matter further. "But personally, I am not inclined to do anything," he said.

The Star newspaper yesterday quoted UMNO youth wing chairman Ahmad Zahid Hamidi as saying the group would go ahead with a libel suit to ensure no other Singapore leader repeated the offense against Malaysia.

"To quote (Indonesia's late president) Sukarno, if all wrong- doing can be forgiven easily, there would be no need for heaven or hell."

Lee made his controversial comments in a sworn affidavit Jan. 27 in proceedings against opposition politician Tang, who fled to Johor Baru immediately after losing his race for parliament in Singapore's general elections.

When the affidavit came to light Wednesday, after Tang's lawyers released it to the media, Malaysia officially demanded an apology and a retraction of the remarks.

A statement of apology issued by Lee's office said he had not been to Johor since 1990 and the affidavit reflected "his perception based on reports he had read in the press. It was unfortunate that subsequently it became public".