Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi must retract his remark that human rights defenders are the defenders of crime, DAP lawmaker Howard Lee said today.

"It is absolutely unacceptable for the second in command of an aspiring developed nation to be spilling such rhetoric of hate and stupidity.

"He must retract his statement, which will bring shame and disrepute to Malaysia," said the Pasir Pinji assemblyperson in a statement.

"Perhaps it is the deputy prime minister and his party's wish to join the club of despotic governments such as Angola, Philippines, Venezuela, Bahrain, Cambodia and others who demonise defenders of human rights," Lee added...