Ousted Perak menteri besar Muhammad Nizar Jamaluddin demanded today that national television channel TV3 apologise to him for announcing on air last night that his special assistant was detained by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) for being involved in the smuggling of sand.

NONE Denouncing TV3's claims as "lies and falsehoods", he alleged that the TV station has "bad intentions to defame him".

Nizar ( left ) said that he is arranging for litigation action to be taken against the TV station if it does not issue an apology within 24 hours or divulge the name of the special assistant detained.

He also urged the MACC to disclose the name of the person in custody.

“We are in the midst of obtaining the video of that telecast to determine the exact words,” Nizar added.

False tip

He said that he strongly suspects TV3 received the ‘false’ tip from sources close to rival politicians.

When asked if an imposter had pretended to be his aide, Nizar remarked: "I would not know unless they reveal who the person is. For them to telecast the statement without confirming it, that reflects their ill and poor thinking".

 

He revealed that seven aides have served under him before this and threatened legal action if TV3 fails to apologise to them as well.

Asked if he would be taking any precautionary measures following this incident, Nizar said: "Not at all. We do not know who was charged and what was the charge."

When asked if he suspected the authorities having a hand in the matter, he accused the ruling party of using the media to cast negative impressions about the party.

A TV3 news editor declined to comment when contacted, but said the station obtained the information from a source.

Later today, TV3 in its evening news program clarified that the person detained by MACC in connection to the sand smuggling case was not Nizar's special assistant as reported earlier.

The television station stopped short, however, of issuing a public apology for the error.

Perak MB decision still pending

Meanwhile, Nizar said that there is a "questionable delay" to the judgment of his suit against Barisan Nasional's Zambry Abd Kadir.

zambry abdul kadir interview 200409 10 Last year, a five-man Federal Court bench heard Nizar's case against Zambry ( right ).

Nizar’s office announced last week that the court would deliver judgment on Feb 9, just over a year since he was removed as the rightful Perak menteri besar, amidst chaos.

He is optimistic that the judgment would be in his favour based on his argument from the standpoint of law.

"With strong support from the people, I am confident that if Zambry does not approach the Ruler to dissolve the assembly by Feb 9, the situation would be in (our favour)," he said.

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