DAP’s Beruas MP Ngeh Koo Ham has given a final chance for Agriculture and Agro-Based Industries Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob to apologise for a controversial Facebook statement he made earlier this year, failing which Ngeh would sue Ismail for defamation.

In the Facebook posting, Ismail Sabri made references to a certain ‘Ngeh family’ from DAP, which he said was ‘anti-Islam’ and owned the Old Town White Coffee franchise.

The references to Ngeh ( right ) were part of Ismail’s urging for Malays to boycott errant Chinese traders who had refused to bring down prices of goods despite reduction in oil prices.

“I am giving him 24 hours to apologise, failing which I would issue a notice of demand. My lawyers are ready with the notice, but I want to give him a chance to apologise,” Ngeh said during a press conference at the Parliament lobby today.

“In the past I had already demanded an apology, but he has not apologised,” Ngeh said.

He said that while he is open to criticism, he would not tolerate “lies” being spread about him.

The government has continued to defend Ismail Sabri by claiming his statement was meant for all traders irrespective of race.

The stance taken by the Prime Minister’s Office was repeated in Parliament via a written answer from Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Shahidan Kassim to Nga Kor Ming (DAP-Taiping) on the government's actions against Ismail Sabri.

Nga said that Shahidan was “lying publicly” and demanded an apology from the minister.

Meanwhile, PKR’s Bayan Baru MP Sim Tze Tzin said that the government is acting like a “spin doctor” for Ismail Sabri.