GE15: Guan Eng wants to sue Tajuddin

GEORGETOWN - DAP chairman Lim Guan Eng says he will file a lawsuit against former Pasir Salak MP Datuk Seri Tajuddin Abdul Rahman over accusations that the former had transformed the Finance Ministry office into a Chinese temple during the Pakatan Harapan (PH) administration.

The former finance minister said Tajuddin's statement was made with malice and it was defamatory besides using racial and religious issues as part of the 15th General Election (GE15) campaign.

He said playing the racial and religious cards needed to be stopped immediately and instead the main issues that should be emphasised on were the people's problems and the economic pressure including the drop in the value of the ringgit.

"I am forced to take legal action because what he (Tajuddin) said is defamatory.

"If it was true that the Finance Ministry was previously turned into a Chinese temple, the matter should have been publicised. People know that there is no temple or incense stick burning in my offices previously, you could ask my officers about it," he said in a press conference at Wisma DAP, here, on Thursday.

During Sinar Harian's Wacana programme entitled "PRU15: Demi rakyat atau kuasa" (GE15: For the people or power), last week, Tajuddin claimed that Lim had marginalised Malay officers and brought his own team to the ministry.

The former Umno Supreme Council member claimed that Lim had allowed his officers to wear shorts at work other than putting up lanterns in his office at Putrajaya.

Lim explained that the lanterns were put up during Chinese New Year, similar to when ketupat decorations were put up during Hari Raya and the kolam during Deepavali.

Meanwhile, he said he will file the suit through his lawyer as soon as possible and he was also considering to lodge a police report although he was unsure if there will be an investigation as it (case) might be closed.