The DAP has blasted a Mingguan Malaysia columnist for suggesting that DAP had hatched a plan to promote its Teluk Intan candidate by circulating photo of her in the bikini.

DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng said the Umno-owned newspaper was "rude, malicious and slanderous" for trying to tarnish the image of DAP and its candidate Dyana Sofya Mohd Daud.

" Mingguan Malaysia insults Dyana because she is a woman.

"The paper is not only uncouth but has no standard as it is willing to use anything to tarnish her image with slander and lies," Lim (right) said at a press conference in Penang today.

"Not only have they slandered us once by circulating that fake photos of her, they now suggest that DAP senior leader Lim Kit Siang and I schemed and spread those photos to BN via the fictitious Red Bean Army (RBA)," added the chief minister.

Lim also stressed that the photos of Dyana purportedly in a pink bikini was circulated by a pro-BN blog, and urged the newspaper not to ridicule the status of women in society.

He added that it was now clear that the photos are actually of a Filipino actress.

Lim said Dyana is persecuted just for being a woman but her detractors have yet to find out that she is a strong woman who will fight back and rise above all the challenges.

He also urged the newspaper to promote and not condemn women in politics.

The article published by Mingguan Malaysia , the Sunday edition of Utusan Malaysia , was found on Page 7 and was written by former DAP stalwart turned MCA man Shen Yee Aun.

In his column, Shen said the "Lim dynasty" together with RBA will find a strategy to promote Dyana as the candidate for Teluk Intan as she is considered their "product".

Dyana, 27, is facing veteran Gerakan president and former deputy minister Mah Siew Kong, 53, for the seat. Teluk Intan goes to polls on May 31.

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