DAP vice-chairperson Teresa Kok will be made to apologise if anyone can prove that her Chinese New Year message video is anti-Islam or anti-Malay, DAP parliamentary leader Lim Kit Siang said.
 
Lim said he has watched the video several times "with great care and attention" due to the anti-Islam and anti-Malay allegations against Kok, but couldn't find any material to substantiate the claims.
 
However, he said, he would compel Kok to withdraw and apologise for producing the video if anybody can prove otherwise.
 
Lim was commenting about the furore over the video that lampooned two MCA leaders and the prime minister's wife Rosmah Mansor.
 
A group of Muslim NGOs held a protest against Kok on Feb 6 and claimed that she had insulted "Malay leadership", the Agong, Islam and Malay dignity.
 
One of the protesters - Muslim Consumers Association of Malaysia (PPIM) activist Mustafa Hamzah - even offered RM500 for the first person who slaps Kok for her "insolence" and rescords this on video as evidence.

Political desperation

 

Lim believes that the furore over the video is the result of "political desperation of some quarters and the rank political opportunism of others".
 
He said that while Malaysians coulld agree or disagree on whether the video was good, bad or atrocious, it was "unacceptable" to resort to "falsehoods" and accuse the video as having anti-Islam sentiments.
 
Lim said the DAP would not accept any act from its members that could be considered anti-Malay or anti-Islam as the party was Malaysian centric and represented all races.
 
The reaction to the video had also exposed a group of "opportunistic politicians" in BN component parties such as MCA and Gerakan.
 
"They are seeking to convince leaders in Umno that the Mandarin and Cantonese dialogue in Teresa's video is anti-Malay and anti-Islam, although this is completely untrue," Lim added.