KUALA LUMPUR, July 8 — DAP chairman Lim Guan Eng today disputed news reports alleging him to be fanning religious sentiments, saying these had twisted a speech he delivered yesterday.

He said his speech in Mandarin was misrepresented to suggest he was claiming there were parties planning to destroy Buddhist and Chinese temples.

"This is not true. I am referring to the case of a Hindu temple being demolished in July 2020 in Alor Setar, Kedah.

"I am very sorry that some irresponsible parties have deliberately twisted my speech and depicted it as if I am fanning religious and racial sentiments,” said Lim in a statement today.

The former Penang chief minister was responding to a news portal’s report that cited a Chinese newspaper’s article, which depicted him as warning Penang voters not to let the "green wave” take hold in the state.

The rewritten story claimed Lim said the "green wave” would result in the destruction of Buddhist temples and non-Muslims will be restricted from carrying out certain practices.

The "green wave” — named after PAS’s party colour — was coined to describe the rise in Malay-Muslim conservatism espoused by the Islamist party and its Perikatan Nasional (PN) partner Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu).

On his speech, Lim said that it had never crossed his mind to use race, religion, or royalty (3R) issues to secure votes.

"I am sure (making use of 3Rs) will only jeopardise the harmony of Malaysia’s multi-racial and multi-religious communities.

"I hope all parties will uphold the Federal Constitution which clearly states Islam as the official religion, and adherents of other faiths are free to practice their beliefs peacefully,” he said.

After the news portal’s report emerged online, Lim was accused of fear mongering in his speech by fanning religious and racial sentiments by PN-aligned groups and Umno Youth.