The row over the 'nehi' audio clip continued in the Tamil dailies today, with Malaysia Nanban accepting the challenge by its rival to prove that MIC president S Samy Vellu had made the disputed remarks concerning former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

In a front-page report, the daily's management stated that it accepted the challenge. "Come to a public platform and we'll prove it."

"Previously we were ready to face the matter in a legal court, but now we are also ready to address the issue in the court of public opinion," it added.

The leading Tamil daily, which is said to be aligned to MIC deputy president S Subramaniam, also stated that it was not favouring any particular leader.

Malaysia Nanban was responding to a scathing commentary in Tamil Nesan yesterday, which came a day after malaysiakini uploaded an audio clip of Samy Vellu's speech at the Johor MIC convention.

Malaysia Nanban and another Tamil daily Makkal Osai had come under intense fire from the party president, when they reported that he told the convention that Mahathir had neglected the Indian community.

Samy Vellu had accused the dailies of distorting his statements to serve the political agenda of his estranged deputy. Subramaniam had denied this.

'Reported as it was'

The Tamil Nesan report yesterday claimed that the audio clip uploaded by malaysiakini had vindicated the president and accused Malaysia Nanban of numerous misdeeds ranging from trying to create confusion in the community to attempting to sow discord between Mahathir and Samy Vellu.

Meanwhile, Malaysia Nanban news editor M Rajan also penned a three-quarter page reply in today's edition.

He said the daily will not remain quiet while 'unfounded' allegations were heaped upon it by others.

Rajan claimed that the daily had no reason to twist and distort what Samy Vellu had said but merely reported the matter as it was.

Meanwhile, Malaysia Nanban also carried a separate report quoting malaysiakini editor-in-chief Steven Gan as saying that the audio clip was not obtained from the Tamil daily.

In a related development, Tamil Nesan today continued its salvo against Malaysia Nanban , Makkal Osai and Subramaniam in relation to the clip.

The daily, quoting several MIC grassroots leaders claimed that the audio clip had exposed the alleged 'political manipulation' of Subramaniam.

One of the leaders had also mentioned that it was a good for m alaysiakini to obtain the audio clip and upload it onto its site since the truth had now come out.