DAP national publicity chief Tony Pua today called on Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak to reprimand his deputy for "giving implicit support" to Umno bloggers to defame and destroy Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng's 16-year-old son.

NONE "Instead of taking stern action against those perpetrating the evil lies to humiliate the Penang chief minister's family, especially since they are all Umno leaders and members, (Deputy Prime Minister) Muhyiddin (Yassin, left ) has chosen to defend the indefensible," said Pua in a statement today.

He added that to protect the image of the government, Najib must immediately put a stop to this madness by sternly reprimanding his deputy and Umno members from making further allegations against Lim's underage son.

"Otherwise, it'll prove to all Malaysians that Umno has become morally bankrupt in its pursuit to hold on power at all cost, including attacking innocent children."

Muhyiddin was yesterday quoted by national news agency Bernama as saying: "A mere denial is not enough. If not in the wrong, ask the police to investigate and clear matters."

The comment, according to PKR deputy president N Surendran, was an insinuation that there were some truths in the accusations leveled against Lim's son.

"How can the deputy prime minister make such a remark when the school headmaster and the alleged victim herself have denied that such a thing happened? It was a deliberate and calculated attempt by the DPM to keep alive the slander against Guan Eng's son," he said in a press statement today.

Surendran called on Muhyiddin to issue an immediate and unreserved apology to the chief minister and his son.

‘Leave my son alone'

An angry Lim in a statement this morning also slammed the deputy prime minister for his remarks.

"How can Muhyiddin be so cruel as to continue to repeat the lies by Umno blogs against my 16-year-old son and question whether my son is innocent of lies of sexual misconduct when the lady ‘victim' had asserted that she had not even met me or my son and the Penang education director had declared the allegations were not true?"

NONE Lim ( left ) added that instead of reprimanding Umno members who have made snide remarks over the allegation, Muhyiddin had instead asked the chief minister "not to blame others".

Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin had responded to the allegation on Twitter with a post: " Mungkin dia roboh Kampung Buah Pala sebab nak ganti dengan Kampung Buah Dada " (Perhaps he demolished Kg Buah Pala to replace it with Kg Buah Dada (breast), in reference to the controversy over a traditional Indian village being demolished in Penang.

Lim added that Muhyiddin has failed a moral and ethical test required as the successor to the prime minister by picking on a schooling 16-year-old with no chance of defending himself.

"If Muhyiddin hates me so much, he can do his worst to finish me off politically. But Muhyiddin should not join the craven pack of cowards to pick on my 16 year old son and put my son again through this traumatic experience."

Utusan bays for more

However, the weekend edition of Umno-owned Utusan Malaysia , Mingguan Malaysia in an editorial today echoed Muhyiddin's statement.

Using the pen name Awang Selamat, the Malay daily said Lim must ask the police for a thorough investigation into the matter to clear any doubts as it has now received public attention.

"Thus far, a denial is insufficient to clean Lim's family name," said Awang.

The Malay daily said Lim must ask the police for a thorough investigation into the matter to clear any doubts as it has now received public attention.

"After all, this has been DAP's approach in aggressively demanding all kinds of investigations including commissions when public interest issues arise."

However, Awang reiterated that Lim and his son should not be portrayed as guilty until proven otherwise.

Karpal: Muhyiddin staring at suit

Meanwhile lawyer and DAP national chief Karpal Singh said if Muhyiddin continue to push the issue, he would also have to face legal action for civil and criminal defamation for allegedly defaming Lim’s son.

"If he proceeds with the matter, the DAP will train its eyes on him (Muhyiddin)," said Karpal, during his speech at the ceremony to hand over keys to 24 Kampung Buah Pala residents today.

"We will pull him in for criminal defamation for maligning the 16-year-old boy," he added.

NONE A pro-Umno blogger had last week alleged that Lim's son had outraged the modesty of a fellow school mate and posted the photograph of the alleged victim.

However, the principal of SMK Heng Ee, where the incident was alleged to have happened, has categorically denied the existence of any such event.

The alleged 'victim' whose photograph was used in relation to the allegation against Lim's son, is 21 year old Anya Ann Corke ( above ), a one time Hong Kong chess champion who is now studying in the US.

She has denied having ever met Lim's son and expressed sympathy for the teenage boy.