Media statement by Lim Guan Eng in Kuala Lumpur on Thursday, 27^th October 2011: 

A police report will be lodged against UMNO Online within 48 hours if no withdrawal and apology is made by UMNO Online 

Both my wife and I are outraged at the continued attacks by BN leaders on the lies about my young old son outraging the modesty of his girl classmate, causing him to be transferred to another school and that I had even paid RM200,000 to the girl's family to hush up the matter. I had wanted to let the matter rest after my young son, who is not even 16, was proven innocent.

My son was clearly a victim of morally despicable and barbaric lies when proven that: -

a) my son had transferred to St Xavier Institution in January 2011 and not in May 2011 as alleged;

b) the picture of the alleged girl classmate victim was "faked", as she is a 21 year old woman from Hong Kong and not even a Malaysian;

c) the alleged victim, Anya Corke, had issued a statement denying the allegation. She said that she had not been victimized by my son and she had never met me or my son. Anya added that she had never been assaulted and that the only way in which her "modesty was outrage" has been by the publication of her picture by the pro-UMNO blogs in connection with these lies;

d) my son's former school, SMJK Heng Ee principal Mr Goh Boon Poh has also publicly denied that such an incident had happened; and

e) Penang Education Director Encik Ahmad Tarmizi Kamaruddin had told the Star on 22.10.2011 that his department found no evidence to back the claims of sexual misconduct against my son in the pro-UMNO blogs.

I wanted to put the matter to rest so as not to affect my young son. He had skipped school for two days when the lies first surfaced. I had no wish for him to go through with this again or deal with police investigations which involves ninja character assassins operating behind shadowy pro-BN blogs.

However MCA and UMNO's have continued unrelenting hate-filled attacks in their blogs such as UMNO Online, despite the above irrefutable denials. Even Bernama reported the Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin as joining in the controversy against my son, by saying that a denial was not enough and challenged for a police report to be lodged.

It is cowardly for BN and UMNO politicians to pick on and make fun of a young boy, especially UMNO Youth President Khairy Jamaluddin shameful lewd remarks. Khairy must be the biggest bully in Malaysia to pick on a young boy who can not defend himself. What type of father is Khairy to his two young sons when Khairy does not feel any remorse at his shameful lewd remarks?

I had urged BN and UMNO not to behave cowardly and that if you want to finish me off politically by any means, do your worst but please leave my young child alone. Unfortunately UMNO has refused and continued to imply that there must be something wrong if no police report is lodged.

UMNO Online even quoted a fictitious report from Guang Ming(immediately denied by Guang Ming) that I had said my young son was transferred out to another school because of drug problems in his former school. Lately pro-MCA blogs have also joined in politicizing the issue by agreeing with Muhyiddin and hinted that I am not a good father for refusing to lodge a police report.

My family and I are touched by the support shown by many Malaysians disgusted by BN and UMNO's gutter politics. We are also deeply appreciative of Anya Corke for coming out publicly to clear my young son's name and testify his innocence. We are encouraged by Anya mother's statement that she is considering legal action to protect her daughter.

After discussions with my family and my son, we have decided with some reluctance that we have no choice but to act. Not to act will allow these bullies to continue to stain my young son's image. My young son says that he will try to find the courage to face these bullies and cowards who refuse to apologise for their morally despicable and barbaric lies.

We will give UMNO Online 48 hours to withdraw and apologise for their dirty politics and lies against my son that he outraged a modesty of a girl classmate or else a police report will be lodged and other action taken.

*Lim Guan Eng, Penang Chief Minister