A police report has been filed over a message claiming that Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng supported the action against the Rohingya community in Myanmar.

The chief minister's special assistant Zaidi Ahmad, who filed the report, said he received a Whatsapp message on Dec 14 with a photograph of Lim.

The message, which was allegedly signed off by the chief minister, read: " (Myanmar state councillor) Aung San Suu Kyi's action on the Rohingya is spot on. Malaysia has no right to intervene and this is considered violating in the country's business."

Describing the message as criminal defamation, Zaidi said Lim has never uttered such remarks.

“He has never sent that message nor has he instructed anyone to do it.

"The slanderous message smacks of racism and was meant to incite religious sentiments as it showed that the CM supported the oppression of the Rohingya community and Myanmar's failure in addressing the issue.

"The message touched on the sensitivities of the Muslim community as the Rohingyas are Muslims," he added when met outside the Northeast District police headquarters on Jalan Pattani.

Zaidi said the circulation of the message could undermine Lim's credibility as chief minister, member of parliament and state assemblyperson.

He pointed out that in the previous Penang legislative assembly in November, the chief minister had instructed Deputy Chief Minister I Rashid Hasnon to table a motion to condemn the atrocities against the Rohingyas.

The motion was passed at the Penang assembly after it was unanimously supported by both Pakatan Harapan and BN assemblypersons.

Zaidi urged the police to act swiftly against the perpetrators of the fake news, stating that the matter should be investigated under Section 490 and 500 of the Penal Code which deals with criminal defamation.