An opposition leader has called on inspector-general of police Khalid Abu Bakar to arrest BN strategic communications director Abdul Rahman Dahlan.
Lim Kit Siang said the arrest should be for publishing "false news" under the Printing Presses and Publications Act.
The DAP parliamentary leader was referring to Rahman's interview carried by The Star Online .
Lim accused the housing, local government and urban well-being minister of publishing two false news - unless this was proven otherwise.
"Firstly, that there was an attempted coup against Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak by criminalising him and toppling him from office; and
"Secondly, that there was already a coup and unconstitutional grab for power by the then attorney-general Abdul Gani Patail when, illegally and arbitrarily, the special task force headed by him investigating into the 1MDB and the RM2.6 billion deposit in Najib's personal accounts investigated Najib in order to 'criminalise' the prime minister,” he added.
Lim ( photo ) also cited three important strands of police investigations into Rahman's assertions, which were:
1) Whether there was a plot in the last days of July to stage a coup against Najib as prime minister by criminalising him and toppling him from office;
(2) Whether there had been illegal and unconstitutional acts to overawe and frustrate the attorney-general from exercising his discretionary powers under Article 145(3) of the Federal Constitution to "institute, conduct or discontinue any proceedings for an offence";
(3) Whether there was any basis for charging the prime minister with the offence of corruption.
Task force illegal remark shocking
Lim noted that Rahman painted a picture of a serious "cloak-and-dagger" power play in Putrajaya in the last days of last month.
He said the minister described an atmosphere of great suspicion, distrust and division in the corridors of power.
"Rahman's statement that Najib had to 'take out people' after an alleged charge sheet against him emerged therefore takes on a very ominous note," he added.
Lim called on the police to move swiftly in order to establish the truth.
"Interview Rahman as the first suspect, as well as others, including the prime minister, Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, former deputy prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin, as well as others who had been 'taken out' in utter disregard of the due process of law, like the Gani Patail...," he said.
Lim also found it shocking that Rahman claimed the special task force was "illegally constituted" and "was not supposed to be investigating the PM or any individual for that matter".
"Can Najib, as the prime minister, enlighten the Malaysian public about Rahman's claim, as clearly even the former deputy prime minister until July 28, Muhyiddin, never knew that the special task force was illegal and unconstitutional.
"What type of a cabinet and government is Najib running?" he asked.
Section 8A (1) of the Printing and Publications Act states only that the printer, publisher, editor and writer can be jailed for up to three years if they publish false news.
However, DAP legal bureau adviser Gobind Singh Deo said he would make clear tomorrow as to how Rahman could be charged under the Act.
Gobind added that if Najib does not address Rahman's conspiracy claims by tomorrow, then the DAP would lodge a police report over the matter.
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