Some 60 disgruntled People Progressive Party (PPP) members had today 'occupied' the headquarters of Tamily daily Malaysian Nanban to demand an apology over an article which had allegedly defamed the party.

The five-hour-long 'siege' which began at 2.30pm, saw the daily's reporter LK Raj - who was not the author of the reportedly defamatory article - assaulted, allegedly at the hands of several PPP members.

ppp surrounded malaysian nanban 210213 ppp member allegedly made death threat He claimed that he received five punches, injuring his head, abdomen and right leg. He added that one of the assailants had made a death threat against him as well.

"The person threatened me, 'If you make a police report, you will go missing'," he said when approached by reporters today.

He said that he feared for his life now that his identity will be made known through the press.

PPP apologises

PPP members had gathered at the Malaysian Nanban office in Jalan Ipoh, Kuala Lumpur to accompany their leader M Kayveas, who met with the daily's officials.

ppp surrounded malaysian nanban 210213 ppp member allegedly made death threat Malaysian Nanban officials said that the group had been abusive and aggressive towards the daily's staff.

Kayveas has told reporters that his party would be taking action against the assailants if latter were found to be party members.

“I apologise to the management over the incident,” he told his supporters after his meeting with the daily's officials.

He told reporters later that his large group of supporters came on the invitation from the daily's management.

Nanban to take legal action

However, Malaysian Nanban director Ahmad Mydin Sikandar Batcha refuted this, claiming that it was Kayveas who had sought a meeting over the article.

NONE Ahmad Mydin told reporters that the PPP crowd had behaved in an unruly manner, and that the meeting with Kayveas had not been very cordial.

He explained that the article, which appeared yesterday, had posed the rhetorical question, "5kg of rice and mutton curry resolves Indian problems?".

He said the article was referring to PPP functions in Malacca, Johor and Kedah where free food had been distributed to the poor.

"It is our job to publish news which contain the truth... if they are not satisfied, take us to court.

"PPP is part of the ruling party... Kayveas is a lawyer. He should understand the law," he said.

Ahmad Mydin added that his company will be taking legal action against PPP for trespassing onto their property.