KUALA LUMPUR, March 18 ― Perak DAP chairman Nga Kor Ming said today he did not need to apologise for reportedly saying that an Umno-PAS coalition would lead to a Taliban state.

The Dewan Rakyat deputy speaker said the police could handle a rally planned by Selangor PAS Youth against Nga, DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng, and DAP’s Mengkibol assemblyman Chew Chong Sin over their allegedly insensitive statements on Umno and PAS’ new official alliance.

"What is there to apologise for? What statement did I do? Have you heard it? You simply quote someone’s hearsay right?

"Let the police handle (the rally). We respect the rule of law and we also respect the freedom of expression.

"They can organise assembly so long that it actually follows (the) rule of law,” Nga said when met with reporters at the Parliament lobby here today.

It was reported that Nga had on March 6 told members of the Chinese press that Malaysia could turn into a Taliban state if an Umno-PAS coalition was established.

The Teluk MP said he had already clarified the statement made, but did not elaborate further.

Chew had on Friday said the New Zealand terrorist attack, which left 50 people dead, should serve as a lesson for Malaysians to curb extremism, and had cited the Umno-PAS union and their narrative as an example.

On March 6, Lim had issued a statement in Chinese where he said an Umno and PAS coalition meant "declaring war” on non-Muslims.