Media statement by Ng Wei Aik in Georgetown on Tuesday, 5^th June 2012:

DAP regrets that Teng Chang Yeow continues to adopt Gerakan President Koh Tsu Koon's discredited approach

DAP regrets that Teng Chang Yeow continues to adopt Gerakan President Koh Tsu Koon's discredited approach of bowing down to UMNO and its party organs Utusan Malaysia and the News Straits Times. The Penang Chief Minister's refusal to be cowed by UMNO and its party organs of Utusan Malaysia and NST has led to Teng Chang Yeow twisting and distorting Lim as not respecting the media.

DAP respects the freedom of the press, which is why DAP passed the Freedom of Information Act. DAP protects pressmen, unlike Perkasa and UMNO members who have attacked pressmen on 2 separate incidents. The first was on 1st of July 2011 and the second was at Padang Kota Lama on 26th February this year. Unfortunately, no action was taken to punish the UMNO and Perkasa perpetrators involved. If Gerakan talks so much about press freedom, why is it that Gerakan has not condemned the inaction by the federal goverment in bringing these UMNO and Perkasa culprits to court?

The Chief Minister respects press freedom, but not party organs that masquerade as newspapers. The fact that Utusan Malaysia and NST are UMNO party organs can be proven by the fact that they have consistently refused to give YAB Lim Guan Eng the right of reply. That refusal of right to reply has left the Chief Minister with no choice but choose to neither engage nor invite them to his functions as an act of self-defense.

Despite winning defamation suits against Utusan Malaysia, Utusan has continued to defame the Chief Minister. Without the right of reply, the only recourse is to sue. UMNO party organs like Utusan is not afraid of defamation suits as they have unlimited funds to pay.

However, the Chief Minister does not possess unlimited resources and time to file defamation suits daily at NST or Utusan Malaysia. For these 2 reasons ¨C Utusan Malaysia and NST's refusal to give right of reply and them not afraid of repeated defamation suits ¨C the CM has no choice but to disengage with Utusan Malaysia and NST.

Would Teng Chang Yeow keep quiet if not only his personal character is defamed, but even his under-aged child and wife are viciously maligned with blatant lies and character assassination? Every person has the right to protect his family and the Chief Minister will protect his family even when those bullies are from UMNO.

Perhaps for Teng Chang Yeow, he is willing to tolerate such misbehavior from UMNO and such disgraceful behavior from Utusan Malaysia merely because it is an UMNO-owned newspaper. If Teng Chang Yeow says that the Chief Minister has no right to sue other newspapers for lies against the CM, does that mean that he will also ask UMNO leaders to stop filing defamation suits? His refusal to do so only shows his true character of not only fearing UMNO but also UMNO-owned newspapers, which is much worse than Koh Tsu Koon who only fears UMNO.

Ng wei Aik, Political Secretary to Penang Chief Minister & SA for Komtar