Lim Kit Siang said today that he is not concerned about Umno’s future ahead of its leadership elections, unless the party continues to spread lies about DAP.

“Whether Umno heads into the sunset or into a new dawn is not my business.

“But it becomes my business if Umno leaders continue to peddle lies, fake news, and false information about DAP,” Lim said in a statement today.

The DAP parliamentary leader was responding to allegations from what he described as the “dubious, mysterious, nameless and faceless” Umno strategic communications unit, which had called on outsiders not to meddle in Umno’s internal affairs.

According to the unit, the Umno election this year was very different from the "closed" contests seen in the party when it was helmed by Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

The unit said Mahathir led Umno “similar to the way Lim leads DAP, which was condemned and hated by its members and leaders at the time.”

'Toxic politics will be exposed'

Lim retorted to this by delivering a warning that in post-election Malaysia, Umno will be exposed if it continues with its “toxic” politics of peddling lies, especially about DAP.

“DAP members and the Malaysian public will never forget the attempts by Umno leaders and operatives to break and even ban the DAP, one of the most obnoxious abuses of power in the era of former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak.”

Lim was referring to the six-year "ordeal" faced by DAP, from 2012 to 2018, when the Registrar of Societies refused to recognise the results of its central executive committee elections.

This, he said, was the result of Umno leaders abusing their powers to “break” DAP’s spirit.

“It was a marvel that the DAP survived the six-year ordeal intact, just as marvellous as when the voters of Malaysia, against all odds, expectations and predictions of mainstream analysts and pollsters, shocked the world with the peaceful and democratic transition of power in GE14 on May 9,” he said.

As such, Lim stated that Umno should apologise to DAP when Umno goes to its leadership elections at the end of this month.