KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 18 — Lim Kit Siang has likened Tan Sri Annuar Musa to a “little Trump” after the Umno stalwart falsely accused the former’s party DAP of “recognising Communism” and “worshipping Communist Party of Malaya’s leaders as heroes” in a recent interview with Sin Chew Daily.

In a statement today, the veteran DAP lawmaker said Annuar’s recent interview had shown the latter’s tendency to purvey disinformation and fake assertions.

Lim also accused Annuar of acting like US President Donald Trump, who is currently being impeached and locked out of his social media accounts, for allegedly inciting violence.

“The Sin Chew interview of the sacked Barisan Nasional secretary-general Tan Sri Annuar Musa exposed him as a ‘Little Trump’ purveying disinformation and fake news, even when he had been elevated to ministerial rank.

“Annuar gave three reasons why Umno should not ally with DAP. Annuar is the most hardcore top Umno leader who had been going around accusing the DAP of being anti-Malay, anti-Islam and anti-Royalty — all despicable lies.

“Trump is ending his reign of disinformation and fake news in the United States in a few days, but in Malaysia we have ‘Little Trumps’ like Annuar Musa running around poisoning Malaysians politics as well as interracial and inter-religious relations in a plural society,” said Lim.

Lim also pointed out that Annuar had previously held a competition in 2017, by inviting contributors to write how the DAP was a danger to Malays and Islam in the country.

“If Annuar believed in what he preached, and not a mere political opportunist, this should rank as his first reason why Umno should not ally with DAP.

“But he did not breathe a word of this in his three reasons why Umno should not ally with DAP,’’ said Lim.

Lim also lamented the current state of Umno leadership who, during the early years of Malaysia’s formation, were renowned for their integrity and honesty.

“The challenges faced by Umno are formidable — will it be able to dissociate from a kleptocracy culture and return to its founding decades when Umno presidents were known for unquestioned integrity and honesty?

“Bapa Malaysia Tunku Abdul Rahman had to sell his house in Penang to fund the running of Umno, while the former CIMB Bank Chairman, Datuk Seri Nazir Razak had recalled how their father, the second prime minister, Tun Razak, had given his sons a stern lecture on integrity and honesty when they had asked that a swimming pool be built at Seri Taman, the prime minister’s residence where they lived.

“As for the third prime minister, Tun Hussein Onn, his integrity and honesty were legendary,’’ he said.

Lim stated that Umno had lost the 14th general election because it had betrayed the principles of integrity and honesty and besmirched the country’s good reputation through the global financial scandal of 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB).

“The 1MDB scandal would never have happened under the watch of Tunku, Tun Razak or Tun Hussein Onn.

“And yet today, there are those in Umno who want Malaysians to believe that the Golden Age of the country was when Malaysia became a global kleptocracy!

“Quo Vadis (where are you going) Umno?” said Lim, referring to an old Latin proverb.