Penang MIC Youth head J Dhinagaran faces two defamation suits for his allegations of corruption and abuse of power against a DAP assemblyperson and his assistant.

NONE Seri Delima assemblyperson RSN Rayer ( left ) and his assistant Savalingam Shanmugam filed the suits in the High Court registry in Penang today.

They want an apology and special damages for Dhinagaran’s statements that were posted on two online portals, Kuala Lumpur Pos and Free Malaysia Today, on March 8 and 11 respectively.

"We want an injunction to prohibit him and his agents or staff from repeating the allegations in any (way). We are also asking for general, including aggravated and exemplary damages,”" said Rayer.

Dhinagaran has 14 days to file his statement of defence.

According to the writ of summons, Dhinagaran had "irresponsibly, wrongfully and maliciously" made remarks directly alluding to Rayer and Savalingam as ‘being involved in corrupt activities by giving and receiving bribes’.

When contacted, Dhinagaran said Rayer should have waited for the outcome of a bribery complaint lodged with the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC).

NONE "I want to know: why the hurry in wanting to sue me? I believe he is under tremendous pressure to show his DAP bosses he is squeaky clean," Dhinagaran ( left ) said.

"As a lawyer, Rayer wants to throw his weight around by threatening me with the suit, but I am not like DAP leaders who succumb to this kind of pressure and I am prepared to face the consequences."

Dhinagaran had lodged the complaint against Rayer and Savalingam with the MACC on March 18, in relation to a gift of a microwave oven to a district office.

Rayer was also said to have "wielded his political influence” and directed the assistant treasurer of the Penang Hindu Endowment Board to retract a report of theft against an employee, according to Dhinagaran.

He further alleged that Savalingam - Rayer's uncle - was involved in allocating funds to a relative.

To support his claim, Dhinagaran had produced a letter from a Pakatan Rakyat supporter who had written to DAP leaders, alleging that Savalinggam had misused state education funds by allocating RM6,000 to his relatives with Rayer's knowledge.

On the microwave oven, Dhinagaran had said this was confirmed in a letter that Rayer had sent to the district office.

Rayer and Savalingam have both denied Dhinagaran’s allegations.