The PAS organ said it had retracted the report after it was informed that some information was not true.

“HarakahDaily regrets this negligence and sincerely apologises to DAP chairman Lim Guan Eng and all parties involved, and retracts the publication (of the report),” it said.

The report had claimed that former DAP member Razali Rahman had served as a special adviser to Lim. It also claimed that Razali had held other DAP posts such as deputy chief of Penang DAP Youth, and as DAP publicity secretary.

Lim’s political secretary, Wong Hon Wai, yesterday denied that Razali served as a special adviser to Lim.

Wong said Razali had also never held any other position in the party or in the Penang state government as reported by Harakah.

He demanded that Harakah take down the report and apologise to Lim within 48 hours or face a defamation suit.

Razali joined DAP in 2008 but was booted out in 2011 when he claimed that the party was financed by Israel. He also accused DAP of having a “Christian plot” to take over Putrajaya.

In 2016, the party issued a statement dismissing a claim that Razali served as Lim’s special adviser when Lim was the Penang chief minister from 2008 to 2018.

Harakah said its editorial team had relied on existing records and did not update the information provided by DAP in 2016 regarding the position of Lim’s special adviser.