Former MCA president Dr Ling Liong Sik will not apologise for calling on Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak to resign.
"I say to the prime minister, if you choose to sue me, I will defend myself. In all humility, I accept your challenge.
"I look forward to seeing the prime minister take the witness stand, as no doubt he would do if he says his reputation is at stake.
"I want to reiterate that I stand by what I said. I would not apologise," he said in a statement today.
The former MCA president also said he was "extremely surprised" by the legal letter, and the subsequent media coverage of it.
Najib on Monday threatened to sue Ling if he did not retract his statement and apologise within seven days.
During an event over the weekend, Ling said he agreed with Mahathir's call for Najib to step down because "he has taken people's money and put it in his own personal accounts".
Ling also made a brief appearance at a Bersih 4 gathering in Perth, which among others called for the prime minister’s resignation.
Yesterday, another former MCA president Dr Chua Soi Lek told Malaysiakini that Ling had an axe to grind with Najib after he was charged in connection with the Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ) case.
Chua also said that being a long-time associate of Dr Mahathir Mohamad, Ling is more indebted to the former premier than Najib.
Mahathir has repeatedly demanded Najib's resignation.
Najib is embroiled in controversy over the deposit of RM2.6 billion into his personal bank accounts.
The prime minister has denied taking public funds for "personal gain" while his supporters claim the massive deposits were "political donations" from the Middle East.
Malaysiakini has contacted Najib's lawyer Mohd Hafarizam Harun and is waiting for his reply.
Source : https://www.malaysiakini.com/news/314905#ixzz3nwDapka2
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