PKR Seri Andalas assemblyperson Dr Xavier Jeyakumar said today he will initiate legal action against news portal Malaysiakini if it does not apologise for publishing an article in ithe English and Bahasa Malaysia editions of the website, titled 'PKR top leaders implicated in bribery claim'.

Xavier said many other media organisations picked up that article and published it.

"(The claim) is absolutely false. You did not get my response. If you are responsible you should have contacted me and waited for my response before publishing the article," he said.

Besides Malaysiakini , Xavier, a former Selangor state executive councillor, also threatened to sue Badrul Hisham Shahrin, who is better known as Chegubard, and also the Tamil Malar newspaper.

Badrul had alleged that Xavier attempted to bribe party election appeal board chairperson Abd Malek Hussin.

The Malaysiakini journalist who wrote the report tried to call Xavier five times and even sent a text message to him, without any response.

Xavier eventually did reply and his comments were published .

Party elections

Xavier said the article had tarnished his image as a law-abiding citizen, an assemblyperson, a former state exco member and who is now holding a high post in PKR.

Furthermore, he said, the party election is still going on and the publication of the report could affect his chances.

Xavier said he was seeking an apology from Malaysiakini within 48 hours for the defamatory report.

His lawyer David Samuel said he would send letters of demand to the other media.

"This will be on-going until the better half of next week. After that we will file the legal action in court if there is no reply to the letter," David said, adding that letters of demand have been sent to Malaysiakini , Badrul and Tamil Malar .