PETALING JAYA: Businessman Nicky Liow has urged Petaling Jaya MP Lee Chean Chung to apologise for purportedly insinuating that he had recently become a PKR member.
Responding to a viral photo of himself in a PKR Youth shirt next to Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim at an event, Liow said the organisers gave him the shirt after he contributed to a fundraiser there.
He said the event was open to the public and attended by about 3,000 people, including businessmen, representatives from various NGOs, PKR members, and the public, China Press reported.
“Wearing the shirt does not make someone a party member, nor does it mean that the person holds a party position or has joined a political party.
“Wearing an item sold (as part of a fundraiser) at a public event should not automatically be interpreted as joining a political party or be used to determine a person’s political identity or position,” he was quoted as saying at a press conference.
Liow said politicians like Lee, who is aligned with former PKR deputy president Rafizi Ramli, were entitled to raise questions but should base them on facts, not assumptions.
He challenged Lee to furnish evidence that he had joined PKR or even received “special treatment” at the event.
“I have never asked any politician to give me special treatment, nor have I used anyone’s position to obtain political benefits.
“If you believe I have broken the law, produce the evidence. If you believe I have joined PKR, produce the membership records. If you believe I received special treatment, produce the facts instead of making political inferences based solely on a photograph,” he said.
He urged Lee to correct his statement, saying the MP’s interpretation of the matter had tarnished his reputation and that he reserved the right to take legal action.
Nonetheless, he said, he preferred not to resolve the matter through legal proceedings.
In a Facebook post responding to the viral picture, Lee questioned why Liow was given “such honour” to have a photograph with Anwar, the PKR president.
He said Liow was no stranger to various controversies, pointing to the businessman’s previous court cases.
He also said he “congratulates PKR if it’s true the party has accepted Nicky Liow as a member”.
PKR secretary-general Fuziah Salleh later denied that Liow had become a member, saying he had never even applied to join the party.
