http://www.thesundaily.my/news/161905
Guan Eng apologises to Johor Sultan (Update)
Posted on 30 September 2011 - 01:45pm
Last updated on 30 September 2011 - 04:45pm
Last updated on 30 September 2011 - 04:45pm
GEORGE TOWN (Sept 30, 2011): Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng has apologised to the Sultan of Johor and the people of Johor, for a statement made by him against the state.
Lim, who has been attributed to have said that the crime rate in Johor is higher than in Penang to a gathering of foreign correspondents in Singapore, however stressed that he has been misrepresented by the Barisan Nasional-controlled (BN) media and will pursue the matter in court.
Speaking at a special press conference called at his office in Komtar here today, Lim noted that Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar had said he was offended by the statement made by Lim against Johor.
"Out of respect to the Johor Sultan, I wish to fully apologise to the Johor Sultan and his subjects, the people of Johor,” he said, reading a prepared statement. “I have no intention whatsoever to discredit Johor or any other state.”
He did not field any questions during the brief press conference, citing legal considerations.
Lim also agreed with the Sultan who said that politics should be left to politicians and the people should not be dragging rulers into politics.
“I feel that what I had said has been misrepresented by the BN-controlled media,” he said.
“I will pursue this matter in court to determine the truth of where I had made the speech, what was actually said, how and in what context it was made,” he added.
A Bernama news on Sept 23 reported that Lim was alleged to have said in a Radio Australia interview that Johor was not a safe state where the chance of being kidnapped was high, compared to Penang.
However, Radio Australia’s transcript and audio recording of the interview put up on its website did not contain any such remark.
Lim’s office responded by writing to Bernama for a full withdrawal and unconditional public apology over the apparently incorrect report.
TV3, however, on its prime time news on Sept 26 played an audio recording of a similar comment ascribed to Lim and allegedly made at the luncheon with foreign correspondents in Singapore on Aug 12. The news led to criticisms against Lim from various leaders.
Lim today pointed out that to date, except for the purported audio tape broadcasted by TV3, there was no press report of what he had spoken in Singapore or Australia.
“I have access to the tape of my interview with Radio Australia. I am still trying to locate the tape of what I said in Singapore which was made privately in a closed-door session.
“I have instructed my lawyers to immediately file a suit in court against the BN-controlled media, beginning with Bernama,” he added.
Lim, who has been attributed to have said that the crime rate in Johor is higher than in Penang to a gathering of foreign correspondents in Singapore, however stressed that he has been misrepresented by the Barisan Nasional-controlled (BN) media and will pursue the matter in court.
Speaking at a special press conference called at his office in Komtar here today, Lim noted that Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar had said he was offended by the statement made by Lim against Johor.
"Out of respect to the Johor Sultan, I wish to fully apologise to the Johor Sultan and his subjects, the people of Johor,” he said, reading a prepared statement. “I have no intention whatsoever to discredit Johor or any other state.”
He did not field any questions during the brief press conference, citing legal considerations.
Lim also agreed with the Sultan who said that politics should be left to politicians and the people should not be dragging rulers into politics.
“I feel that what I had said has been misrepresented by the BN-controlled media,” he said.
“I will pursue this matter in court to determine the truth of where I had made the speech, what was actually said, how and in what context it was made,” he added.
A Bernama news on Sept 23 reported that Lim was alleged to have said in a Radio Australia interview that Johor was not a safe state where the chance of being kidnapped was high, compared to Penang.
However, Radio Australia’s transcript and audio recording of the interview put up on its website did not contain any such remark.
Lim’s office responded by writing to Bernama for a full withdrawal and unconditional public apology over the apparently incorrect report.
TV3, however, on its prime time news on Sept 26 played an audio recording of a similar comment ascribed to Lim and allegedly made at the luncheon with foreign correspondents in Singapore on Aug 12. The news led to criticisms against Lim from various leaders.
Lim today pointed out that to date, except for the purported audio tape broadcasted by TV3, there was no press report of what he had spoken in Singapore or Australia.
“I have access to the tape of my interview with Radio Australia. I am still trying to locate the tape of what I said in Singapore which was made privately in a closed-door session.
“I have instructed my lawyers to immediately file a suit in court against the BN-controlled media, beginning with Bernama,” he added.
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