The Kelantan government will seek an apology from The Star and Penang St John Ambulance state commander Lim Thoon Deong for falsely alleging that the state ordered the closure of all St John Ambulance divisions in schools.

Chairperson of the state committee for tourism, unity and non-governmental organisations, Anuar Tan Abdullah, said he would ask the state executive council to give him the authority to address the matter when they meet tomorrow.

"I will get a lawyer to send a letter seeking an apology," he said when asked what the state government would do following the news reports over the past two days.

The Star reported yesterday that the Penang St John Ambulance was upset with the PAS-led Kelantan state government for closing all the organisation's divisions in schools since last month.

Report can create misunderstanding

Penang state commander Lim Thoon Deong reportedly said the Kelantan government had deemed the service-based organisation as a Christian movement because there is a 'cross' in its emblem.

In today's Star , Lim reportedly reiterated his statement. He was quoted as saying that he stood by his comments and that the issue had been discussed at the organisation's national committee meeting.

However, Tan refuted the allegations, saying that the news about the purported closure was "slanderous" and "published in bad faith".

"The newspaper ( The Star ) should have investigated the matter first," he told malaysiakini today, adding that the report could create misunderstanding between the state government and Christians in the country.

"The Kelantan government has tolerance towards all races and religions," he stressed.

Kelantan St John Ambulance Malaysia state commander Abdul Rahim Omar has also denied the closure in malaysiakini 's report yesterday, clarifying that four divisions - two in secondary schools and two primary schools - became inactive as there were no qualified teachers to oversee them.

According to him, there are 34 St John divisions in schools in Kelantan and about 90 percent of the members are Muslim.

Abdul Rahim added added the organisation is a social service group promoting first-aid skills and therefore it should not be dragged into "local politics".

'News is false'

In today's official statement from the Chief Minister's Office, the Kelantan government expressed its regret that Lim had made such "irresponsible remarks".

"The state government never came out with any policy, directive or regulation, in writing or orally, that St John's Ambulance in Kelantan was to be closed. The news is false," the statement read.

It further explained that the state government did not have the power to instruct every school under the Education Ministry to close down their St John Ambulance divisions.

Meanwhile, when contacted today, Lim declined to comment publicly on the matter, adding that he was writing a report to St John Ambulance national commander-in-chief Dr Low Bin Tick.

Low, when contacted by malaysiakini this afternoon, confirmed that he had received the report from the organisation's Penang state commander.

According to him, in the faxed document, Lim claimed he did not speak to the reporters who wrote the report in The Star today.

"It's very damaging to him (Lim)," Low said.

He added that he had requested Lim to refrain from making further statements on the matter to avoid fueling the controversy.