GEORGE TOWN (Feb 9, 2011): The Penang government is initiating legal action against Pulau Betong assemblyman Muhamad Farid Saad for allegedly make false statements about the state government's involvement in a newsletter on Balik Pulau that has been criticised for lacking in Malay historical content.
Speaking to the media after the state executive council meeting today, Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said he would file the suit on behalf of the state after the course of action was decided upon on the advice of state legal adviser Datuk Faiza Zulkifli.
Lim said Farid had been reported in a Malay daily (Utusan Malaysia) as saying that the state government was responsible for distributing the myBalikPulau newsletter.
Farid was reported to have said that the newsletter was factually wrong and insulting to Malays in that area.
"And according to him, the newsletter 'produced' by the state government 'lupa sejarah dan hina Melayu' (forgets history and insults the Malays). This is serious (allegation)."
"We have been patient with his irresponsible and racist actions in the past," Lim added, claiming that Farid had played up racial issues in the past.
He said if Farid did not retract or apologise for making such allegations, the state government would continue with the suit.
"What else does Farid want to talk? I think we should be more focused on the economy, education and the welfare of people," he said.
Lim added that the legal process and mechanism on the suit will be announced later.
"We want to continue exposing racists like Farid. We have to do so for Malaysia to have a better future, like how (former US president) Abraham Lincoln fought racists, for the slaves to be free," Lim said.
"Be it Chinese or Malay racists, we have to fight them," he said at a press conference.
The newsletter's producer, Arts-Ed clarified yesterday that the effort was intended to be a collection of oral historical accounts and interviews with elders, done by the children residing in the community, and was not intended to be an authoritative history of the area.
On another matter, Lim said the state approved the provision for maternity leave for state government staff, and civil workers to be extended to 90 days from 60 days in Dec 2 last year.
"The policy was enforced on Oct 15 last year and approved by the state exco on Dec 2," he said, adding that the state Public Service Department (JPA) had distributed a circular on the matter in December last year.
"This is the state government's initiative to uphold the rights and benefits of mothers, women and children," Lim added. - http://bit.ly/goDuQ5
