PAS Sepang MP Mohamed Hanipa Maidin has retracted his earlier statement that Prime Minister Najib Razak had, when he was Umno Youth chief, called to "bathe the keris in Chinese blood", saying he got the information from Wikipedia.

He was responding to Jasin MP Ahmad Hamzah's complaint during the previous parliamentary session on October 23, when the Sepang MP made the comment while Noh Omar (BN-Tanjung Karang) was speaking on the 1987 Ops Lallang mass detentions.

NONEIn his explanation in Parliament today, Hanipa (right) said he had gotten the quote attributed to Najib from the online encyclopaedia.

"Actually what was said, I took from Wikipedia about Operation Lallang that can be accessed from the Internet.

"There I read that it was said that, Wikipedia mentioned the Pekan MP (Najib) allegedly once expressed desire to bathe the keris (in Chinese blood).

"Therefore I believed what was written by Wikipedia, which until now has not been denied by the Pekan MP.

He said since there was no denial on what was written in the Wikipedia article, he believed the reference was true.

"Therefore based on that, I believed at the time I was speaking that it was correct," Mohamed Hanipa told Parliament.

'Retract or face action'

Jasin MP Ahmad Hamzah then interjected saying in the Hansard transcripts Mohamed Hanipa had not mentioned anything about Wikipedia.

NONEThe matter arose when Ahmad asked speaker Pandikar Amin Mulia (right) about his complaint to have the Sepang MP referred to the rights and privileges committee.

Mohamed Hanipa's reply caused a commotion as several BN parliamentarians got up and shouted at the Sepang MP not to deny having said the comment about Najib and the keris.

Attempting to return order to the House, Pandikar Amin said he will probe the matter.

"I call on the YB to think carefully whether what was recorded (in the Hansard) is correct or not. If he retracts his comment, then I think this matter is settled.

"If he does not retract, I have two choices - there is a prima facie case to refer him to the rights and privileges committee or make a ruling based on standing orders 36.6," he said.

The Sepang MP relented, saying, "To appease the BN members, I retract (the statement). I apologise for it."

Although the BN benches were still visibly unhappy and continued to cause a commotion, Pandikar reiterated that the matter was closed as he was satisfied with the apology.