GEORGE TOWN: Lim Guan Eng will take legal action against former Pasir Salak Member of Parliament Datuk Seri Tajuddin Abdul Rahman, for alleged defamation in an interview conducted by the media recently.
Lim said the lawsuit was a result of a statement made by the Umno supreme council member regarding the situation when he held the position of Finance Minister during Pakatan Harapan (PH)'s administration.
The DAP chairman said the lawsuit would be filed by his lawyer soon.
He added that he was also considering lodging a police report although he was uncertain the report would be investigated and the case likely to be closed.
"I have to take legal action because what he said is tantamount to defamation. We hope to not only get an apology, but maybe more than that (the value of the suit) because the defamation that was made was on the national stage," he said in a press conference in Wisma DAP here today.
Tajuddin had allegedly claimed the Finance Ministry's office during the PH era 'has become like a Chinese temple'.
In addition, he also alleged that some people came in shorts and the office became like a 'lantern'.
In a related development, Lim, who is the incumbent Bagan MP, expressed regret that the political campaign ahead of the 15th General Election (GE15) was still stuck on issues based on race and religion.
He said the main issue that should be emphasised to the people was about the economic pressures being faced, including the fall in the value of the national currency as well as future opportunities for the younger generation.
"As such, I hope that the younger generation, who will be one of the largest groups of voters in GE15, will open their minds and not make a choice for a party that is geared towards extreme racism and religion," he added.