No evidence, no apology for 'balik India' claim

Komtar assemblyperson Ng Wei Aik has refused to apologise publicly for allegedly making a racist remark to an Indian-Muslim restaurant owner, saying the claim was baseless. Malaysian Indian Muslim Congress (Kimma) chairperson Faruk V Raju Mohamed had claimed that Ng had said the words “Close shop, go back to India” to restaurant owner Syed Kassali Mohamed Aliyar last Sunday.

However, Ng pointed to the lack of evidence.A video recording uploaded on Youtube does not show any evidence of him making the racist slur, he said. Therefore, the question of apology does not arise.Ng, who is political secretary to Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng, instead demanded an apology for the false allegation.This issue has been played up for a week. It is time for closure. We do not want to waste time over something which did not happen,” Ng told reporters today.

A week's grace

Faruk and restaurant owner Syed Kassali Mohamed Aliyar have now been given a week to make the apology public or face legal action.Ng said he is prepared to resign as Lim's political secretary if there is proof that he had indeed made racist comments against the Indian-Muslim community.But if the duo apologises and retracts the allegation, Ng is willing to let them off and will refrain from instituting legal action.

Last Friday, Kimma members led by Faruk  had organised a rally in Komtar and submitted a memorandum urging Lim to take disciplinary action against Ng..Last Sunday night, Ng had visited Syed Kassali's restaurant with a team of Penang municipal council enforcement personnel. This followed an accident involving two vehicles an hour earlier near the premises.

Following news reports that painted him in a bad light over the alleged remark, Ng and DAP lawyer cum Seri Delima assemblyperson RSN Rayer lodged a police report against the duo at the Jalan Pattani police station in Penang.

Source : http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/152985