An opposition leader today renewed his call for PRM vice-president Rustam A Sani to apologise to the Chinese community.

DAP deputy chairman Karpal Singh said that Rustam's excuse that he was merely describing the perception in some quarters concerning the Chinese as being unprincipled, was unacceptable.

He added that in law, repetition of what is defamatory is itself defamatory if that perception is baseless.

"Perhaps Rustam should take time off to learn the basic law of defamation," he said.

However, Karpal added that he had qualified his remarks in his press statement issued last Friday which demanded Rustam's apology with the sentence, "If the accusation was made, Rustam should render an unqualified apology to the Chinese community."

But he said that this qualification was not reported in the media.

Misconception

Karpal added that it was a total misconception to say that the Chinese community could not be trusted and could be easily manipulated by whoever was in political power.

"The trend in election in the past has shown the Chinese community had voted against the government of the day. In elections, political parties should be mature enough to accept the verdict of the people," he said.

Rustam had last Sunday urged those who had accused him of uttering offensive remarks against the Chinese community in an article published in malaysiakini and Berita Keadilan , to show proof or face possible legal action.

He said that Karpal, MCA youth chief Ong Tee Keat, deputy secretary-general Liow Tiong Lai, MDP secretary general Wee Choo Keong and senator Zainuddin Maidin should "shut up in shame or apologise" to him.

The five had demanded an apology from Rustam over his article in which he allegedly said that the Chinese voters were easily manipulated by whoever was in political power and that the community could not be trusted.

No reason for apology

Rustam, however, stood by his article, saying that he had no reason to apologise as he was merely describing the perception in some quarters concerning the Chinese as being "unprincipled voters".

He said it was never his own assessment.

In response, Karpal said today that Rustam's challenge to him was "amusing", adding that he should mind his language when demanding apologies.

"I am a lawyer by training and I know what I am talking about. The statement I made was in the public interest," he said.

Yesterday, malaysiakini reported that both Liow and Wee conceded that they had called for an apology from Rustam for allegedly insulting the Chinese community without having read the latter's full article ([#1] We did not read Rustam's article, two wanting apology admit[/#] , Jan 15).

Debate challenge

Meanwhile, PRM treasurer Koh Swe Yong, in an open [#2] letter [/#] to MCA, today challenged the party and its youth wing to debate with PRM on matters touching on the interests of the Chinese community and on which of the two parties should apologise to the community.

"Our aim is to allow the people to have an opportunity to read for themselves clearly the views, analyses and solutions to problems besetting the country, as held by both parties, so that the people can judge for themselves who is wrong and who is right," Koh said.

He added that while PRM respected MCA's right to mobilise attacks on Rustam if he does not apologise, the party hoped that in turn, MCA would also respect PRM's right to do the same against MCA until it apologises for distorting Rustam's statement.