Permatang Pauh Umno chief Zaidi Mohd Said should own up to his mistake of uttering "racist and derogatory" words against the Chinese and Indians, said Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng.

While Zaidi claimed that he was misquoted by a news portal, Lim, however, said video clips of his speech at the Umno general assembly last week clearly showed what he was saying.

 

At a press conference in Butterworth yesterday, Zaidi said the news portal which "misquoted" him failed to mention that he had only said there were some instances of illegal activities by the Chinese.

 

But to prove his point, Lim played a video clip of Zaidi's controversial speech labelling Indians with the derogatory word "keling" and also claiming there were Chinese illegal businesses in Penang.

 

In the speech, Zaidi had also said that Lim was confident of the support from Chinese and Indians that he had no qualms marginalising the Malays in the state.

 

But Lim said Zaidi hit the wrong target when he raised the issue of alleged illegal businesses by the Chinese in Penang.

 

He added that Zaidi's accusation was serious and meant to denigrate him but instead had put the police in a spot.

 

He urged Zaidi to report any evidence he has on those illegal businesses instead of blaming the chief minister for the matter.

 

"It is embarrassing that he fails to understand that this matter is under the jurisdiction of the police and not the state," Lim said.

“Illegal businesses are not licensed by the state. Why blame me?" he asked.

 

He added that his political secretary and Air Itam assemblyperson Wong Hon Wai had lodged a police report against Zaidi based on the video clip by KiniTV.com.

 

"Let’s see if there is action taken against him," Lim concluded.

Meanwhile, Penang Umno Youth chief Rafizal Abd Rahim urged Lim to retract the “heinous  lies” hurled at Zaidi.

He also told Lim that he should resign from his post as chief minister should Zaidi manage to prove the gambling as well as prostitution dens mentioned.

"The police's success in eliminating the illicit activities is proof that these things happen in the state administered by DAP.

"The question is, why are those involved in such activities dare to do their business in this state?" he asked in an Umno Online report.

He also questioned whether Lim was closing one eye over the matter and disregarding what is happening in Penang.