Perak DAP adviser Ngeh Khoo Ham has initiated legal action against Agriculture and Agro-based Industries Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob for claming that the former was "anti-Islam".

In a press release today, Ngeh said Ismail Sabri had failed to apologise within the 48 hour time frame given to him.

Ngeh was referring to Ismail Sabri's Facebook post earlier this week which stated, among others, that: " melayu masih berpusu2 di restoren tsb sdgkan beribu2 restoren melayu yg sah halal... lihat shj old town white coffee... diragui baru2 ini... but still org melayu gagal utk boikot... lebih2 lagi ownernya dikatakan ngeh family dap perak yg terkenal anti islam "

(Malays are still streaming into such restaurants despite thousands of halal Malay restaurants are available. Just look at Old Town White Coffee. Recently, suspicions have been raised [about this chain]. But still Malays fail to boycott. Moreover, their owners are said to be the Ngeh family from Perak DAP who are known to be anti-Islam).

Ngeh also claimed that Ismail Sabri had lied by later stating that he was not referring to the former.

"I have stated that there is only one DAP 'Ngeh family' in whole of Perak and that is my family.

"I have on Feb 3 challenged him to name another 'Ngeh family' that he has known when he made the defamatory statement but until today he has not been able to name one," said Ngeh.

Islamic authorities should act

Meanwhile, Ngeh had also urged the Islamic authorities to also reprimand Ismail Sabri for Islamic religion to falsely defame him and his family.

"This is an opportunity for our Islamic authorities to state clearly that Islam is against defaming others and against lying.

"This is also an opportunity for the Islamic authorities in our country to refute the accusation by some that they only act against those who are of lesser station in our society," he said.

On Monday, a comment post by Ismail Sabri begin making rounds and was lauded by pro-Umno blogs and social media accounts.

Ismail had called on Malays to boycott Chinese businesses for not lowering prices despite falling fuel prices.

He also accused Chinese businesses of not having proper halal certification and that should Malays not change their mindset, the Chinese will continue to oppress Malays.

Despite the public outcry over Ismail Sabri's remarks, the Prime Minister's Department issued a statement on Wednesday claiming that they have accepted the minister's Facebook post was not directed at any particular ethnic group.