Wong ready to take on Perkasa chief who wants to sue him

PETALING JAYA: The Star colum­nist Datuk Seri Wong Chun Wai (pic) says he is ready to take on Datuk Ibrahim Ali after the Perkasa chief stated that he will sue him over his write-up on the “Bible-burning” issue.

“I will fight him in court. We will see him in court. It’s a fight between moderates and extre­mists,” he said.

“Malaysians cannot allow Perkasa to continue with their form of hate politics, racist bullying and extremism,” said Wong, who is also Star Publications (M) Bhd group managing director and chief executive officer.

Wong, responding to the Perkasa chief’s statement proclaiming that he would proceed with the defamation lawsuit against him, stressed that legal suits would not intimidate moderate Ma­­laysians.

“No one can stop the voice of moderation and reasoning,” said Wong. “Malaysia has no room for extremism.”

An online news portal quoted Ibrahim as saying that the response he received to his Nov 24 letter of demand to Wong sounded like a khutbah (sermon).

“I am not saying he is wrong,” Ibrahim was quoted as saying.

“But, I want the court to decide if his statement was defamatory.”

On Nov 24, Ibrahim sent the letter to Wong, claiming that his write-up, “A mind-boggling spin”, published in Sun­day Star and The Star Online on Nov 2 contained defamatory statements against him.

A letter of demand is a letter sent by a lawyer on behalf of a client to demand payment or any other action from another party, usually to imply that a court case would be filed unless the stated demands are met.

Ibrahim allegedly made the “Bible-burning” remark in January last year, with regards to indivi­duals who had purportedly distri­buted Bibles containing the word “Allah” to students, including Ma­­lays, at SMK Jelutong in Penang.

On Oct 27, it was reported that no legal action would be taken against Ibrahim because he was said to be “defending the sanctity of Islam” and had no intention to create religious disharmony with his remarks.

In Wong’s article, which ap­­pear­ed in his “On The Beat” column, he questioned why no charges were filed against Ibrahim over the remarks.

He said no one should have the suspicion or perception that the feelings of only one race mattered in Malaysia.