by Parliamentary Opposition Leader, DAP Secretary-General and MP for Tanjung, Lim Kit Siang, in Penang on Friday, 10th January 1992:
I reserve the right to institute legal action against newspaper which publishes defamatory statements against me
Recently, some press had published statements issued either by nameless and faceless bureaus of Barisan Nasional component parties or by some political small-fries seeking to defame my reputation and character. The latest was today in one local newspaper.
I reserve the right to institute legal action against newspaper which publishes defamatory statements against me. I have been very reluctant to institute defamatory proceedings against newspapers but there is a limit to one’s patience.
Nameless and faceless political persons and some political small-fries had been making use of newspapers to defame my character and reputation, knowing that they are safe because no one would bother to take legal action against them. Newspapers should be aware that if they want to be made use of any these nameless and faceless political persons and political small-fries to publish their defamatory statements against me, they are also responsible for these statements.
This is to serve public notice that I reserve the right to institute legal proceedings against newspapers for carrying these defamatory statements against me so that no newspaper would be able to claim that I have not given adequate notice when I file legal proceedings.