Lim’s information chief Zaidi Ahmad lodged a police report regarding the allegation this morning at the Jalan Patani police station.
The message, circulated via social messaging application WhatsApp recently, features Lim’s face along with a declaration in Malay that said Pakatan (Harapan) will close all Mara-related entities as long as these were not open to all races.
The message also read that it was Lim’s promise for a Pakatan Harapan government.
Zaidi said he saw the picture posted in the WhatsApp group “Bersatu Lwn Kezaliman” (Unite against Tyranny) about 6am on New Year’s Day while at home.
The picture was posted by a person using the profile name “Mizan Johor”, he said.
“YAB (Lim) has never made such a statement. Nor had he sent out or directed others to circulate such a message,” Zaidi said.
Zaidi urged the police to investigate the matter and take necessary action as it may constitute a case of defamation under Section 499 of the Penal Code.
Mara was formed in 1966 under the rural and regional development ministry to aid, train and guide Bumiputera (Malays and other indigenous Malaysians) businesses and industry.
Mara offers higher education scholarships to Bumiputera students in local and foreign institutions. It also operates junior colleges, boarding schools, Universiti Kuala Lumpur and previously Universiti Teknologi Mara until it became its own entity under the higher education ministry.
The institutions are open to Bumiputeras only, except the Mara Junior Science Colleges (Maktab Rendah Sains Mara, MRSM) that has a 10% quota for non-Bumiputera students.
This is the second incident within a month carrying allegedly offensive statements attributed to Lim, who is also DAP secretary-general.
Three weeks ago, Lim’s office lodged a police report over a WhatsApp message which alleged the CM condoned the atrocities against the Rohingyas.
The message featured a photo of Lim with the caption: “Tindakan Aung San Suu Kyi terhadap kaum Rohingya adalah tepat. Malaysia tiada hak untuk campur tangan dan dianggap mencabul urusan negara Myanmar” (“Aung San Suu Kyi’s actions against the Rohingyas are spot on. Malaysia has no right to meddle in Myanmar’s affairs”).